where environment has brought in its train of development, from my pracitcal experience, the influence has taken place at a much earlier age, often in childhood.

Regarding punishment for homosexual seduction of persons between 18 and 21 years, I have always held to the opinion that such a regulation is rather preposterous, particularly taking into consideration that the age limit for heterosexual relations is placed at 18 years of age in the Danish penal code. There is no reason whatever to be of the opinion that a male, 18 years of age would not be sufficiently mature as to be able to resist a homosexual seduction

...

I wish to add, due to my host of experiences in my numerous cases, that, to the contrary, time and again it has been proven that young people; both below 21 and 18 years of age, and also at an even younger age, are extremely well aware of these situations and offer themselves and even on many occasions, for the sake of gain, they have practically forced themselves on the older person whom they knew to be homosexual; the result being that the older person fell to the temptation. I agree with the opinion of Professor Hjalmar Melweg-of which I have received a copy, that these punishments convey the idea that homosexuals form a small, abnormal and therefore dangerous minority within society. I must agree with Professor Helweg that the damage done to a young girl who has been induced to heterosexual relations at an early

age

is perhaps underestimated. whereas exaggerated views are professed regarding the volume of misfortune that can come upon a young man influenced by others in a homosexual direction. Many psychiatrists and other scientists have pointed out

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that homosexual tendencies have such a comparatively wide distribution within practically any society

that one is not to consider or label homosexuality as an abnormality, but as a kind of divergence from the norm. I have time and again, in writing and speech pointed this out and have strongly opposed the concept tha. homosexuals are more or less inferior, abnormal and consequently dangerous people against which the penal laws should train all their guns.

•

Finally I wish to observe that among the proportionately rather large number of young men between the ages of 15-16 to 21 which I have had to deal with professionally due to their having pursued homosexual relations for gainful purposes, I have hardly ever come across a single one of them who, properly speaking, has been seduced by a grown-up. The vast majority have learned from more experienced comrades that they can earn sizeable extra money in this manner and it is therefore quite by their own accord that they embark upon this gainful trade. A few have stumbled upon this means of earning money by a chance encounter with a homosexual grown-up, but even on these occasions the minors, as a rule, have been quite willing as soon as they realized the economic or other advantages involved, so that actually "seduction", properly speaking, is out of the question. Practically none of the young men I have referred to have been of a homosexual inclination. In other words, even a long period of gainful relations with homosexual adults has altered pot their heterosexual dispositions; it has not even contributed or conditioned them to a bisexual attitude. They consider it coldly and cynically as an easy means to acquire money.

mattachine REVIEW

VOTE+but

DON'T VOTE

IN THE DARK

Study the issues and the candidatesand then decide where you stand

You wouldn't buy a new car without at least driving it around the block.

You wouldn't buy a new house without checking up on the neighborhood, the schools, and any back taxes.

So vote-but don't vote in the dark in this, exciting election (year.

Listen to what candidates are saying on TV and radio.

Read your newspapers-especially the politi-

VOTER'S CHECKLIST-

1. Be sure you're registered.

2. Study the issues and candidates. Go to rallies. Ask questions. Read the papers. Listen to speeches.

cal news and editorial page.

Talk things out with your neighbors over the back fence and at the filling station on the corner. Take part in the discussion group at your church, club, lodge, or school.

Think about the issues and the candidatesand then make up your own mind. Remember, nobody is in that voting booth but you and your conscience. Step behind that curtain with pride on election day. Then vote as a free American.

3. Mark up a sample ballot in advance. (They are published in the papers.) 4. Join your neighbors at the polls on Election Day November 6th.

Is your name

In the book?

You can't vote if you're not registered. You lock yourself out of the polls, unless you're a registered valer. And you and only you can get your name in the Registration Book. When they call the roll on election day, will you be there? Do you know anyone who won't?

THE

ตา