(b) The pervert is not a homosexual, but a heterosexual who engages in homosexual practices. Perverts may be of two kinds:

(i) the casual (to be distinguished from the bisexual): i.e. the person who, from motives of curiosity, or in exceptional circumstances -life in the services, or in prison, or in a situation of peculiar temptation or emotion-may engage in one or more homosexual acts, but who easily and rapidly assumes again a heterosexual orientation when conditions are normal, and thereafter continues to live a normal heterosexual life.

(ii) the habitual: i.c. the person who may engage regularly in homosexual practices, either as a 'tout' or prostitute for money, or for the purpose of blackmail or in search of new sensual satisfactions, or simply because "to do evil for evil's sake" has a fascination of its own. The habitual pervert is found more frequently among men than among women.

We shall refer to sexual acts between persons of the same sex as homosexual acts or practices, distinguishing, if necessary, between acts of inversion and acts of perversion.

Variations in the pattern of male inversion

It is a mistake to assume that inverts conform to one or two types, for the pattern of male inversion is one of considerable complexity.

The male invert is not by definition a misogynist, and many inverts are not necessarily always averse to the society of women, though they will naturally avoid close or specific attachments which might lead to embarrassing situations. Many women do not understand this, and spurn a friendship offered for its own sake, when they perceive that no matrimonial prospects are implied; they fail to realize that such friendship may itself materially contribute to the invert's social adjustment.

Other inverts, however, display a natural diffidence in mixing with women, though for psychological reasons they may show less disinclination for older women than for those of their own age.

All inverts have a definite and sometimes an exclusive preference for male companionship; there may be no other specific factor present, but on the other hand the following features may be found:

(a) There may be an active desire to be of social service to boys in youth groups and the invert may find it difficult not to have special favourites among them.

(b) In mixing with boys he may be conscious of urges to touch or fondle them, but on moral, religious or other grounds, he refrains from such acts.

(c) He may give in to such desires so far as to engage in manual stimulation. (d) He may seek further expression of his desires in coitus of several varieties with men and boys.

In assessing moral guilt or criminal responsibility it is important to recognize the variety and complexity of the pattern, and especially the diversity of types to be found among inyerts.

Where inversion is the settled condition of a person (innate or acquired) it will be important to make a very clear distinction between this condition (which is morally neutral) and the invert's homosexual practices which are

mattachine REVIEW

within the range of choice and to which moral categories therefore apply. Perversion raises quite different moral issues, and bisexuality hardly less 30, but neither falls within the scope of the present discussion.

PREDISPOSING AND PRECIPITATING CAUSES OF INVERSION

Inversion appears to be basically a psychological condition. Physically, the invert is in the great majority of cases normal, and attempts to identify an organic or physical cause such as endocrine deficiency or imbalance have so far met with little success. The possibility of a congenital origin cannot be ruled out in some cases. There are homosexuals whose inversion is so inherent, or acquired so early in life, that their condition is irreversible. It appears that the true invert is a victim of a deviation from the normal heterosexual pattern and is, so far, neither more nor less pathological than the man who suffers from some other deviation not connected with his sexual nature.

The deep and distinctive personal relationship between man and woman, which we term 'sexual love', is impossible for the invert. He feels a comparable and equally compelling attraction towards another man, and it is important to understand that his regard may be as sincere and genuine, and the relationship which may develop can be as honourable, as in the case of the heterosexual. The idea of any physical relationship with a woman is as abhorrent to him as homosexual practices are repulsive to the heterosexual man.

Both the heterosexual and the homosexual are from time to time confronted with strong inclinations to give expression to their respective natures in sexual acts. The homosexual is not unique in this respect. Ordinary moral principles apply equally to both types: each is under the obligation "to do all to the glory of God". The invert has no right to ask for a wider moral latitude than has his heterosexual brother. The special aspect of his problem, which arises because for him the normal outlet in marriage is denied, is dealt with later [this section is omitted].

The homosexual is normally no more disposed to commit sex offences against children than is the heterosexual. He may, however, associate with boys under conditions of secrecy through the fear of blackmail if he were to seek the companionship of adults. The seduction of boys may indicate moral degeneracy as much as, but no more than, the seduction of girls by the beterosexual.

It should further be recognized that homosexual love is not always at a genital level. The homosexual is as capable of a virtuous love as clean, as decent, and as beautiful as one who is normally sexed, though it is, as we shall show, a love essentially different in certain respects from that of man and woman for one another.

Both the attitude of society and the administration of the law as they are today impose a burden of guilt upon a not inconsiderable minority of people in the main inoffensive, often talented and socially useful-a burden which presses heavily although there is no question of immoral homosexual behaviour. It should be a matter of grave concern that suicides are known to have been committed by homosexuals for reasons directly arising out of society's attitude to their homosexual condition, and unconnected with blackmail.

Homosexuality is a tendency which is present in every individual par-