Anti-gay researcher and Regent University prof Mark Yarhouse is at it again. He’s released several studies and what not exploring “ex-gays” and human sexuality. His most recent release is a survey of 104 “sexual minority” youth at Christian colleges.
In a “study” of the (extremely undersampled) surveys, Yarhouse (and a host of other researchers: Stephen Stratton, Janet Dean, and Heather Brooke) find:
- Awareness of same-sex feelings (about age 13 by 70% of the sample)
- Confusion about same-sex feelings (age 14-15 by 71% of the sample)
- Intimately/romantically kissed by someone of the same sex (age 17 by 34% of the sample)
- Been fondled by someone of the same sex (age 14-15 by 42% of the sample)
- Fondled someone of the same sex (age 14-15 by 42% of the sample)
- Same-sex behavior to orgasm (age 16-17 by 29% of the sample)
- Initial attribution that I am gay (age 17 by 35% of the sample)
- Took on the label of gay (age 18 by 14% of the sample)
- First same-sex relationship (age 18-19 by 19% of the sample)
- First opposite-sex relationship (age 15 by 58% of the sample)
A few figures immediately jumped out at me: By age 13, 70 percent of the students said they were aware of their same-sex feelings. Seventy-one percent said they experienced “confusion” about those feelings at ages 14-15.
Although most sexual activity (excluding fondling) occurred at age 16 or older, an good majority (58 percent) said they had their first opposite-sex relationship by 15.
It strikes me as somewhat odd that same-sex “fondling” came before same-sex kissing, but that’s not my worry. What concerns is me is the striking number of youth who, despite their awareness of a non-straight sexual orientation, entered into a non-gay relationship.
Perhaps many of the youth attempted having a heterosexual relationship out of confusion. Perhaps just as many attempted the relationship because of social or religious coercion.
Regent University’s Institute for the Study of Sexual Identity writes (emphasis mine):
In most studies of milestone events, the outcome is a gay (or lesbian/bi) identity. This is likely due to sampling. If researchers study gay youth at community centers or in colleges or universities in which a gay identity is more predominant, then that will be the normative identity outcome. In this case, with a sample obtained from conservative Christian colleges and universities, it appears to be more common to refrain from same-sex behavior and relationships, as well as to refrain from a gay identity synthesis.
How do we make sense of these young people’s experiences? Are they closeted and looking for a way to express their “true” identity? Or are they following a value system that they believe offers an alternative identity outcome to a gay identity? Answers provided later in the study suggest that while both interpretations may have some merit, the latter interpretation likely accounts for more of the sexual minorities in this sample. Under Advice/Suggestions for the Church/Other Students, participants tended to identify same-sex attractions as a reflection of the “fallen” state of human existence. They also tended to share advice such as finding safe people to talk to about their experiences, persevere, and know that healing is possible. … Other themes were “not to let same-sex attraction define you” and this will raise the question of how to do that and sustain that over time.
That’s pretty much all the evidence I need. Coercion, not confusion.
September 1st, 2009 at 9:21 am
Actually, I’m not surprised the “fondling” often comes before the kissing. To most people, kissing still implies a certain kind of emotional and romantic intimacy. The other stuff can be more easily explained away as something one does to “feel good.” This is something I’ve seen discussed several times in different venues.
And I tend to agree with your conclusion of coercion.
September 1st, 2009 at 1:34 pm
I see the term “ex-gay” is used in this article. Is that possible? Can people really truly start out gay and then change their sexual orientation? I have a hard time believing that it can happen.
September 3rd, 2009 at 11:53 am
Paula, I will point you to the APA website and their new findings on the issue of sexual orientation change: INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE THAT SEXUAL ORIENTATION CHANGE EFFORTS WORK, SAYS APA http://www.apa.org/releases/therapeutic.html
September 4th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Paula:
While it’s impossible to say that a change of sexual orientation is never possible, what little research there is on the subject indicates that it is at the very least, highly unlikely. Even studies that ex-gay groups tout as demonstrating success (such as the Yarhouse and Jones study) give a much more nuanced and difficult definition of success.
Usually, “ex-gay” tends to mean that an individual is choosing to ignore their same sex attractions and remain celibate. However, they usually still demonstrate some level of attraction to members of their own sex.
Indeed, one of the biggest criticisms of ex-gay ministries is their tendency to use language that implies a conversion from homosexuality to heterosexuality ate first glance, when in reality a closer look at their statements and clarifications make it clear they’re offering something else.