to speak, o! "homosexuality”, ranging from those who occasionally indulge in homosexual practices to those who engage only once wice during the course of their en 're life

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If we limit our definition of homosexuality to include only the first ruentioned group. we do so at the cost of excluding some people, who although they participate in occa. :nal heterosexual relations, and αγ even be married and have hildren, nevertheless consider themelves as homosexuals But this narow definition of inversion is the one which Mr Crowther must take in order not to involve himself in contradictions and obscurities.

are

told that introversion ɔ very distinct aspects. introversion, as defined

These are and used in this discussion, and a kind of introversion, which, is morAnd we are hid and purposeless. old that there appears to be a very direct though not necessary introversion connection between and inversion, as the person affected the very nature of his dispo sition tends to build up and ac

en!

erotic images identical with his own sexual character" The se mental images determine a pe sons sexual inclinations." The conclusion to be drawn is that sornething about the very, nature of introversion leads to inversion. “Whe the: or not introversion will result in sexsal inversion depends on many factors whose immediate workings, are well understood already well by reearchers in the field." Unfortunately Mr Crowther does not document this very important new scientific ad.

vance Thu the chain of reason ng is as follows the introvert, "because of positive interest and also capability in dealing intelligently with subjective material" becomes interested 32

in cultural values and religious interests, which "involve the most pressing personal questions." This involvement with subjectivism, and self-identity causes the introvert "at the time of adolescence" to "be unusually predisposed to accept homoerotic images." These may or may not outweigh heterosexual Images

We are now ready for the crux of Mr Crowther's article, which I would like to quote in its entirety "If it can be said that introversion learls occasionally to active inversion, then it must be added that the active invert is, without exception, also of a predominately in.rover! nature, and thus must, through introspective methods, reach for that inner stability which the mature heterosexual achieves through other processes.

Here, stated explicitly, is the alternative to introspective or introverted behavior Since we have been told earlier in the article that the afterna. ive to subjective, introverted behavior is preoccupation with the "immec'iate realities of enviornment," what else are we lead to conclude but that this alternative in "the inner stability which the mature heterosexual achieves through other processes ̈? By "other processes" Mr. Crowther must mean biological reproduction

What else are we led to believe but that the heterosexual does not achieve inner stability through introspective methods? Thus the homosexual can achieve inner stability by preoccupation with cultural val ues and social uplifting while the heterosexual achieves his inner stä bility with a mere preoccupation with the immediate externals of life. ie biological reproduction.

There is one other conclusion which can be drawn. If all inverts are without exception introverts, and introverts are predominately inter

mallachine REVIEW

ested in or capable of introspective thought, we would have to say that no person could exist who was both an invert and who did not displa those qualities identified with introvert. But will empirical evidence substantiate this conclusion? are many homosexuals who were not raised in cultural environ. ments and who do not aspire to anything higher than their immedi. ate experiences, as most of the rea ders of this magazine can verify from their own experience

Perhaps Mr Crowther does not mean to say that inverts are parti. cularly fitted for cultural activities, since in an earlier issue of this magazine he would seem to contradict Cultural what he maintains here inspiration and spirit cannot arise either from extremes of inversion or from extremes of heterosexuality, but rather from the high middle ground between" (Sept-Oct. 1955. p. 42) If Mr Crowther means to cxend this contention to cover the present article, he nowhere states it. And since the arguments in this

article should stand on their own merits, and not attain their validity from some previous article, I cannot discuss this latter statement.

In conclusion over and above any objection to Mr Crowther's personalistic metaphysics, the following points should be made

1) It has not been shown, either in this article or elsewhere, that homosexuals are better equipped to produce the higher values of their culture

2) It has not been shown that socalled introverts are responsible for the higher values of our culture. or any other culture

3) It has not been shown that the alternative to cultural production is biological reproduction or no pro duction

4) It has not been shown that homosexuals do not and cannot reproduce biologically

If Mr Crowther's contentions are accepted and acted upon, I cannot but see some disastrous results in the progress of the acceptance of homosexuality

the homosexual and society

by Eric von Gothenburg

Il mon must belong Belonging brings security Acceptance in group affords identification and a sense of accomplishment.

some

To the homosexual, who is often a highly individualistic person, be longing sometimes connotes a loss of individualism. assimilation

at the cost of individualistic exprescion. But it need not be so. If after find mature investigation group which, in the main, represents we desire for the goals o: aims ourselves, organization which does not demand the relinquishing

of our individuality, but instead uses that individuality in a construclive way, then it is only selfish motives which would prevent us from being a part of that group.

The homosexual in present-day Society occupies a unique position in that he often belongs to organisations, unions, churchs or lodges which represent much of his interests. Yet he belongs to no organization which speaks for such a highly his important part of himself as sexual nature Heterosexuals need no such group identification. Their 33