Archive of "Gays 'are made not born'", The New Paper, 31 May 1989

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THE NEW PAPER / Wednesday, May 31, 1989                                                   Page 7

SINGAPORE TODAY

Childhood experiences determine sexual preferences and can result in homosexuality, say two former gays. Fortunately, they added, the effects can be reversed

Gays 'are made not born'

By Harinder Gill

(Mr Frank Worthen: Lack of parental bond can cause homosexuality.

Mr Synclair Rogers: Childhood experience determines sexual preferences.)

Homosexuals are made, not born, say two former gays who are here to talk about their experiences.

They said research on sex chromosomes (strands of genes that determine sex) provides no evidence of a genetic factor.

They are conducting a four-day seminar, until Friday, organised by Asian Teen Challenge, a group that helps the young cope with social and emotional problems.

At the seminar, Mr Synclair Rogers, talked about two friends with genetic abnormalities that made them acquire characteristics of the opposite sex.

One of them was a woman who also had male genitals, although these did not function.

“But, because she was treated like a girl right from the start, when she reached puberty, her female organs kicked into gear,” he said. Later, the male organs were removed and the woman led a normal life.

The other case was of a man with an extra female chromosome, which caused him not to develop sexually.

Correct sex orientation when young saved him, and now he is “happily married, although he’ll never have children.”

He explained that experiences during childhood play an important part in determining a person’s sexual preferences.

Mr Rogers, 32, is president of Exodus North America, an American organisation which helps homosexuals.

The other speaker, Mr Frank Worthen, 60, co-founder of Exodus, said: “The deepest root of homosexuality is a lack of bonding with the parents, rejection from them, not belonging to the family unit or having some kind of broken-up family unit”.

A boy needs to be close to his father, who acts as a role model and a source of security. If he does not receive paternal love, he will look for it in other boys or men.

A mother, too, can cause homosexuality. If she is overprotective and forms too strong a bond with her son, he may treat all women as his mother.

This makes him avoid sexual relationships with women as it would seem too much like incest.

And mothers tend to be overprotective when they have problems with their husbands. Without emotional support from her spouse, the woman may use her son as a substitute.

Both Mr Rogers and Mr Worthen were once homosexuals. They came from broken homes.

Fortunately the effects of an upbringing that cause homosexuality can be reversed, the speakers said. What is needed is commitment, motivation and support from the family or friends.

Today’s talk is on what gays can do if they want to go straight.

The seminar is from 9 am to 3 pm at the Singapore Christian Conference Centre on Kampong Arang Road. It is free.

Singapore’s transsexual problem

Some of the questions answered by Mr Synclair Rogers:

Q: You said you did not choose to be a homosexual. But aren’t people the result of choices they make?

A: I don’t believe we are completely the result of our own choices. Homosexuals don’t choose to be homosexuals.

Q: Are Asian homosexuals different from American homosexuals?

A: That’s what we are here to find out. But I do think that Singapore has a bigger transsexual problem because most people opt out of a homosexual living. That’s the biggest difference I have noted.

=See also=
 * Sinclair Rogers
 * Singapore ex-gay movement

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=Acknowledgements=

This article was written by Roy Tan.