What should otherwise have been simple issues, like abortion, gun rights, race, climate, etc., have now become foundering rocks; that surely is a sign of an imploding society.
James, I’m just beginning your new book and very much looking forward to reading more of it. As a gay man who lived in DC multiple times over the last 20 years, I’m very familiar with the extensive although not always visible presence of the gay community. Although that does seem to be changing quite rapidly.
Abortion is a tough issue -- like you, I have generally refrained from speaking an opinion on the issue since I really don’t have a dog in that race. But it seems to me that abortion has fallen to the same sort of pushing too far that gay rights also risks facing. As abortion pushed towards being a form of birth control and were performed later and later in the pregnancy, this aroused a constituency of fiercely opposed people. Gay rights, by adopting and expanding into the push for transgender rights after achieving gay marriage and the striking down of anti-sodomy laws, also runs the risk of pushing too far. Gay men and lesbians at a basic level want to be free to love who we love -- but we are playing with a very dangerous fire by allowing groups like HRC and others to pivot their fundraising and advocacy efforts towards a struggle on behalf of people who want and need something entirely differently -- surgical and pharmacological interventions, etc.
These are very challenging issues -- I am close to women who have had abortions and I have friends who are transgender -- and I appreciate having the benefit of your thoughts and insights.
James, I remember reading the Kinsey report 40 years ago and running into the statistics on homosexuality.
I believe oKinsey said that around 4% of the adult male population was exclusively homosexual and that about 6% had done something sexual, but was heterosexual in adulthood. I think the addition of those 2 number is what got everybody to that 10%, which is a grossly overstated number.
In terms of lesbians, I think the number Kinsey gave was about 3% of the adult female population.
What should otherwise have been simple issues, like abortion, gun rights, race, climate, etc., have now become foundering rocks; that surely is a sign of an imploding society.
James, I’m just beginning your new book and very much looking forward to reading more of it. As a gay man who lived in DC multiple times over the last 20 years, I’m very familiar with the extensive although not always visible presence of the gay community. Although that does seem to be changing quite rapidly.
Abortion is a tough issue -- like you, I have generally refrained from speaking an opinion on the issue since I really don’t have a dog in that race. But it seems to me that abortion has fallen to the same sort of pushing too far that gay rights also risks facing. As abortion pushed towards being a form of birth control and were performed later and later in the pregnancy, this aroused a constituency of fiercely opposed people. Gay rights, by adopting and expanding into the push for transgender rights after achieving gay marriage and the striking down of anti-sodomy laws, also runs the risk of pushing too far. Gay men and lesbians at a basic level want to be free to love who we love -- but we are playing with a very dangerous fire by allowing groups like HRC and others to pivot their fundraising and advocacy efforts towards a struggle on behalf of people who want and need something entirely differently -- surgical and pharmacological interventions, etc.
These are very challenging issues -- I am close to women who have had abortions and I have friends who are transgender -- and I appreciate having the benefit of your thoughts and insights.
James, I remember reading the Kinsey report 40 years ago and running into the statistics on homosexuality.
I believe oKinsey said that around 4% of the adult male population was exclusively homosexual and that about 6% had done something sexual, but was heterosexual in adulthood. I think the addition of those 2 number is what got everybody to that 10%, which is a grossly overstated number.
In terms of lesbians, I think the number Kinsey gave was about 3% of the adult female population.
I am relying on memory from almost 40 years ago.