case

history

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There are two statements which I have personally often heard made by homosexuals, and which I have often seen in case histories cited by physicians and psychiatrists. These

are:

1. The homosexual's condition is the result of a seduction in earlier years by an older man; and,

2. The homosexual has abso-

lutely no opportunity for gainful employment. As a practicing homosexual from pre-adolescent days and one whose experience has been wide and varied, I find that both of these statements are, for the most part, indefensible.

Generally speaking, and I, myself, know of no exception, a single overt experience does not "fix" one's sexual desires upon his own sex. Kinsey bears this out by reporting that an extremely large number of men have had one or more such experiences during their lifetimes without be-

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coming homosexuals. It is entirely possible, and even probable, that when an individual is bullied or forced into homosexual practices, as frequently occurs in prison life (but seldom elsewhere) and because of pressure or environment is unable to terminate such relations, he may become "conditioned" to such behavior and will begin to find himself deriving a certain pleasure therefrom. Man is an adaptable animal and soon learns to find pleasure in situations from which he cannot escape. After a sufficient period of time, such an individual will, in all probability, remain homosexual throughout the rest of his life.

Undoubtedly there are instances in which a seduction or even rape of a youth by an older man or boy has been instrumental in bringing out an existing but previously latent predilection on the part of the victim. Similarly, and just as surely, there are instances in which an initially in-

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