The last 1000 research papers on homosexuality - what do they say?

NARTH has a nice redux of a recent article from the primary journal Sexuality and Disability.  The original article, written by a researcher from the Department of Neurology at University of Illinois Medical Center, was entitled A General Review of Recent Reports on Homosexuality and Lesbianism.  I've summarized the redux below (a summary of a summary ;).

The short but informative redux includes:

• Etiology - some homosexuality may be rooted in sexual abuse, but other genetic and social factors are indicated
• Prevalence - better numbers indicate that male homosexuality is about 3-5% of the population, and 2-4% for lesbianism
• Related diseases - gays have a much higher incidence of HIV (75% in the 1980's, 61% now), as well as many other diseases including syphilis, genito-urinary infections, anal carcinomas in men, and bacterial vaginosis, cerebral vascular disease, polycystic ovaries, and androgehypernism in lesbians.
• Drug and alcohol use - As a subgroup, 50% of gays admit to illicit drug use. Lesbians spent more time in bars and drank more alcohol than heterosexual females.
• Unprotected anal sex - The hallmark finding was that 50-60% of male homosexuals have engaged in unprotected anal sex and 21% report never using a condom.
• Casual partners - Studies show casual partnering in gays increasing, not decreasing.  The myth of homosexual monogamy seems more mythical now than ever.
• Social and mental problems - Suicidation, molestation, and violence were disproportionately higher among homosexuals.
• Fluidity or "Change in sexual orientation over time" - It turns out that choice may have a more significant role in homosexuality than some have thought. "A one-point shift on any dimension over their lives was reported in 48% of gay men and 20% of lesbian women. "Thus," he concluded, "it is a myth, according to these data, that once one discovers that they are gay, they always have been and will be gay."

Comments

[Cineaste]

For Louis...

Pat Condell - Was Jesus Gay?

[E. Michael Martin]

Once again, this post has been skewed to favor one group's viewpoint on homosexuality. These findings show that there are psychological and biological factors at work beyond a "choice". One chooses to brush their teeth, they do not choose what gender they are attracted to.

Sexual and emotional attraction is very, very difficult to boil down into a few words and studies. Most scientists and psychologists will assert that. I know that you don't believe that science (when it comes to people outside of your everyday experience) is important, but you can not say that gay people are wrong because of disease.

The root of disease and violent/ dangerous behavior is rampant bigotry against a group of people.