wealth Club talk. 'Repressive

Sex Laws'." The wire bore no name

Club officials today were surprised to learn there had been no broadcast

IN REPLY to the censorship Dr. Bowman said today. "This simply proves one of the most The important points I made public and those in authority are not willing to have a free discus. sion on sox legislation

"There are things the public ought to know The great issue is whether we are going to have laws regulating in great detail our sexual behavior . among married couples, among any consenting individuals."'

Dr. Bowman's talk brought forth a favor. able response from some newspaper readers in California when they read the report on it. Reproduced below are two of the letters published in the SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE:

re-

Editor-Karl Bowman, M D. cently emphasized his previous belief that laws directed at the crim. inal prosecution of the homosexual hould be removed from our statutes.

In general. I agree that homoxuality as an entity is not criminal and therefore, efforts to eliminate or control it should be social and c'nical rather than punitive.

Homosexuality is a biological impasse or detour... It is ubiquitous throughout history, at one epoch condoned and at another another condemned. It would seem that neither attitude is the best

•

Live and let live is a sound precept but let us not lean too far in our permissiveness or indiscriminating acceptance of one of such deviations Homosexuals need understanding but not approval

It is for the psychiatrists, an. thropologists and other students of

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human behavior to view this problem dispassionately and deal with it in an objective and unemotional way.

Homosexuality has always

•

been with us. It is not a disease and can never be eliminated. Let us face it for what it is, with neither scorn nor sanction. The seduction of the young and the mercenary pursuit of homosexuals must be dealt with punitively which accounts, in part, for the severity of our legal penal. ties lis prevention is often possible and it is here that our efforts should be concentrated rather than in the futile efforts to abolish behavior that, unfortunately. is inherent in some human beings.

MARK LEWIS GERSTLE, M D. Chief Psychiatrist, Youth Authority. State of California Sacramento

Editor-Having read the story on homosexuality quoting Dr. Bowman and the commentary by Dr. Gerstle, I agree that consenting, adult homosexuals should not be subject to the present laws.

If Dr. Bowman is correct in stat-

ing that the sanction for these laws is given by codes dating from anfiquity, might we not all hope that in these same ancient judgments

mention is made that sin consists also in the pain and misery we inflict upon our fellow man from unenlightened and shallow decisions? For in this age when the individual spirit of man is being threatened. what virtues need we cultivate more than those of human understanding and tolerance?

If our Legislature cannot remove this section from the Penal Code. they could at least reword and rephrase it so as to rid it of its condemnatory tone. This, I fec', would insure violators of more humane treatment.

mattachine REVIEW

1

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(From VRIENDSCHAP, Amsterdam, September 1958 Issue)

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