syphilis in Los Angeles is due to homosexual behavior, we ought to know why. Homosexuals tend to gravitate toward Los Angeles and other major cities because of the very size of these places. There is usually a greater opportunity for sexual expression in a larger city. Once there, the homosexual is neither more nor less wanton in his behavior than the heterosexual. But he more often tends to be indiscriminate in the choice of his sexual partners. In fact, a homosexual will frequently go to extra pains to find the bisexual type because of the mistaken belief he is getting a "man." The bisexual, either having never decided which side his bread is buttered on, or wanting to eat his cake and have it too, in varying degrees has a sexual urge towards either sex. He has relations with both male and female prostitutes, homosexual men and heterosexual women purposelessly and, to this extent, is truly a vicious element in society. To the bisexual the term "pervert" may properly apply. Yet the homosexual, persuaded into believing in his own femininity, continues to pursue either the bisexual or those from the group who are apt to find an outlet in homosexual practices when deprived of true feminine society. By so doing, the homosexual may have introduced venereal disease into his own ranks. It is well known that ethnic and racial groups can maintain their traits and customs unaffected by the influences of large surrounding societies by following the traditions of their groups especially if they are separated by the larger society and not accepted generally. However, where restrictions are eased, the characteristics of the dominant group will be absorbed by the less powerful ones: the Negro gets whiter; the homosexual gets syphilis.

Present legal codes aimed against the homosexual, and the unskilled and

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unrealistic handling of the situation on the part of the public health agencies have not helped to relieve the problem. For instance, this article has been at least five years in the preparation. Health officials have repeatedly been urged to make their statistics and figures available to us so that we could alert our readers to the problem. We have more than once requested that an article be written by one of their doctors, who we have felt would be best able to describe the situation from the medical and health points of view. Last July, Bernard S. Rosenblum, M.D., Chief, Division of VD Control, Los Angeles County Health Service was approached and invited to do such an article. However, on September 18th we learned that U.S. health authorities in Atlanta would not allow Dr. Rosenblum to write for ONE Magazine on the grounds that the U.S. Public Health Service might come in for some criticism from Congressmen and taxpayers. May we not, therefore, conclude that the Health Service is less truly concerned than it professes to be?

In every State of the Union except Illinois and New York, homosexual acts between consenting adults whether in public or private are a felony, and in New York they are a misdemeanor unless performed with a minor. Under these circumstances, if any person known to me were to give public health investigators my name and address as a possible contact, I would consider him as low as a gay vice-cop, and he would deserve the same treatment. Yet many homosexuals thoughtlessly inform on their friends.

The homosexual with a venereal disease must be treated like any other patient by doctors. Hippocrates said "Extreme remedies are very appropriate for extreme diseases." All right.

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