Although we now have come somewhat closer to defining the homophile group, we still miss a very important element, of great significance for our further exposition, because in a high degree it determines the position of the homophile in society. This element is the fact that homophiles form a minority group.

Every minority group has to face the existence of a majority, with which in some way or other it has to live, lest it be destroyed. The rest of this exposition will therefore be devoted to the question of how each of the two groups meets this necessity for living with the other.

It has been observed that, since time immemorial, homophile people have lived on earth. Yet, even though practically every person knows about the existence of the group, it is generally not acknowledged. As soon as this group is mentioned, it is ignored-silence reigns. The subject simply does not exist as a meeting-ground, or point of contact. It would take me too long to consider in detail this strange. picture, which amazes the man of science over and over again.

There seems to be no doubt of the fact that, in our time, the average heterophile cannot bring himself to conceded human recognition of his homophile fellow, even lacks the capacity to do so, with often terrible consequences for the homophile. Within the group of homophiles, also, the real significance of this tragic problem is only too often underestimated. Those who believe that, with the acquiring of a certain degree of social recognition and "acceptance", the position of the homophile would cease to be a problem, are mistaken. Such recognition would be no more than a first step, however important it may be in itself.

he entire position of being known, but not recognized; of being known as a personality type, but not being met as a person, may cause unbearable tension within the individual. It is a well-known fact that the reaction to this situation is fairly often an excessive, clearly over-compensatory ambition and self-assertivness. Under these circumstances, what I term a centrifugal tendency may become predominant. A centrifugal force, as you may know, is a force which takes moving objects away from their class, group, or common centre. Thus some homophiles will try, with more or less success, to deny their belonging to the group of homophiles. Above all things they want to be recognized as a member of the majority.

Ambition need not always be the driving power when choosing a centrifugal solution. One could imagine that this solution might be chosen with a heavy heart, not because of personal ambition, but because a social interest of a higher order demands this personal sacrifice. Also, the grounds for the choice may lie in the actual impossibility of choosing a different one, on penalty of social ruin.

Practice teaches us that in most cases in which the individual chooses the centrifugal solution of denial, an extremely complex and differentiated set of factors has contributed to his decision. We may find pathological factors present, as where heavy frustrations in making contact with others (often on a masochistic basis) help develop the picture of the dissembler-at-all-cost, who may react with vehement aggression to every approach from fellow-homophiles.

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