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from Books & Reviews
'The New Gay Teenager'
Gay Cornell University Professor Ritch Savin-Williams argues that teenagers are rejecting gender categories in their pursuit of satisfying sexual relationships.
And, he's encouraged by the trend.
Reviewed by Frank York
Professor Rich Savin-Williams in The New Gay Teenager, presents the premise of
his book in the first page of his Preface. He observes: "Gay people have
historically too readily accepted the inevitability and desirability of
divisions based on sexual categories. It's not that same-sex attractions are
disappearing--indeed, they appear to be on the upswing as young people more
freely share with each other their same-sex feelings. They're not embarrassed by
gayness, don't consider it deviant, and see it all around them--on television,
in movies, in songs, in cultural icons, among their friends."
Savin-Williams is encouraged by this trend and looks forward to the day when
terms like "gay" become irrelevant in public discourse. He notes that more and
more teens are becoming pan-sexual in their outlook--and the line between what
was once considered "gay" and "straight" is becoming blurred.
The "New Gay Teenager" will be a person who can be attracted to both girls and
boys and have sexual relationships with both sexes without guilt. The "New Gay
Teenager," then is basically a pansexual or bisexual who rejects all gender
categories.
Savin-Williams asks what has resulted in this "dramatic generational shift"
between the old generation of gays who maintained that sexual orientation is
fixed and unchangeable versus the new teen who views gender categories as
unimportant? "Probably the media," says Savin-Williams. He notes: "The success
of the entertainment industry in presenting and hence normalizing same-sex
desire has had an incalculable impact on the ability of adolescents to
understand their own emerging sexual desires." (p. 18).
Another change agent, says the professor is the public school system. He credits
Los Angeles Public School teacher Virginia Uribe and her Project 10 program as
the pioneer of this effort to normalize homosexuality among teens. The Gay,
Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), says Savin-Williams is
following in Uribe's footsteps. He notes that GLSEN-sponsored Gay Straight
Alliance clubs have proliferated on high school campuses.
Gay-Affirming Researchers Invented 'The Gay Teen'
Professor Savin-Williams admits in Chapter 2 that gay or pro-gay researchers
"invented" the gay teen. "Gay adolescence came to be what we researchers wanted
it to be--what we were," says the author. (p. 23). He observes: "... who
researchers say is gay and who they chose to provide data determine the outcome"
of the research findings.
He criticizes many of the early studies done on gay teenagers because of the
problems involved in correctly defining who is gay and who isn't. "Most
biological and social scientists assume a categorical sexual orientation,
allowing them to contrast heterosexuals with homosexuals. The category of
bisexual is often ignored altogether or folded into the gay group. Bisexuals are
said to be confused, in a state of transition, not yet having decided just what
they are." (p. 30).
Savin-Williams says researchers define sexual identity in a limited fashion and
force teens to choose between limited options. "What about young people who
identify themselves using a sexual label not provided, such as two-spirit,
polysexual, or ambisexual? What about those who span multiple identities, the
bi-lesbian or the gay-curious heterosexual?" asks the author. (p. 35)
Determining who's gay and who isn't, is a difficult task, says the professor. It
depends on how researchers define the population: by attraction, behavior, or
identity.
Savin-Williams presents the results of his own study of same-sex teenagers and
draws the following conclusions:
- Assuming sexual orientation is determined prior to puberty, "it is safe to conclude that at least 15 percent and maybe as high as 20 percent of all adolescents have some degree of a same-sex orientation."
- "Less than half of these individuals are exclusively or near exclusively same-sex oriented."
- Teens with some degree of a same-sex orientation far outnumber the 3-4 percent who embrace a gay or bisexual identity or the 3 percent who report same-sex activities." (p. 44).
Research Incorrectly But Purposefully Focused On Troubled Gay Teens
Savin-Williams believes that the early studies of gay teens focused on the
psychological problems faced by same-sex identified youth. "Being gay, young,
and troubled had thus been intrinsically, even purposefully linked. The linkage
made grant proposals and justifications for increased educational and
mental-health services an easier sell," said the author.
The professor observes that much of the research published during the 70s and
80s was not peer reviewed. In addition, "... all early gay-youth investigations
were based on flawed research designs and included small or biased samples of
those who sought the services of mental-health or social-support agencies. In
defense of these earlier researchers, they have been so pleased to have access
to any gay teens that any slippage in standards for methodological rigor seemed
relatively inconsequential ..." (p. 57)
Savin-Williams says the "investigators who published these negative findings
knew what they were doing. They were aware of their sample limitations, that
they had recruited those disproportionately at risk for negative health outcomes
and risk behaviors. Yet few attempted to correct this portrait of the suffering
gay adolescent." (p. 68) Their goal was to follow the money in getting grants
to conduct their research.
Savin-Williams urges researchers to stop focusing on the suffering gay teen and
begin promoting the view that gay teens are healthy and fully functioning
individuals. He says: "Same-sex attracted teenagers are, in general,
indistinguishable from other teens neurologically, anatomically, and
chemically." (p. 85)
Early Same-Sex Attractions: A Great Delight
In his interviews with gay-identified teens, Savin-Williams says that "early
same-sex attractions for many teenagers are sources of great delight, fond
remembrance, and lifetime reverberations; they may even be these individuals'
most tender and pleasurable childhood memories." (p. 131)
In Chapter 7, "First Sex," Savin-Williams introduces the subject of gay
childhood sexual experiences by noting that Alfred Kinsey and his associates
were the first to systematically explore the "onset and nature of sexuality
during childhood." (p. 133)
Kinsey argued that humans are naturally sexual and orgasmic throughout childhood
and their reluctance to engage in gay sex is often attributable to repressive
socialization that doesn't tolerate such behaviors.
"Kinsey found little evidence for the traditional view of childhood's being a
time of sexual latency or arrest in sexual development," says Savin-Williams.
(p. 134)
Savin-Williams observes: "Regardless of gender of person and partner, if an
early sexual contact is not abusive or coercive, then it likely has a positive
impact on adolescent and adult sexual arousal, pleasure, satisfaction, and
acceptance of various sexual behaviors for self and others. Given the degree of
sex negativity in U.S. culture, not all view these seemingly positive results as
desirable outcomes. As for general social adjustment, sex among children is
seldom associated with either developmental benefits or liabilities. " (p. 135)
An Apologist For Pedophilia?
Throughout Savin-Williams' book, he quotes favorably from Dr. Theo Sandfort's
various research on gay males. Sandfort's background, however, is ignored.
Dr. Sandfort is a research scientist on HIV and Associate Clinical Professor of
Clinical Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University. Prior to going to
Columbia, Sandfort headed up the Interfaculty Department of Lesbian and Gay
Studies at Utrecht University, the Netherlands. He is former President of the
Dutch Society of Sexology.
Dr. Sandfort is also on the editorial board of the Dutch pedophile journal,
PAIDIKA, and has written favorably on adult/child sex in the past. Sandfort was
co-author of "Man-Boy Relationships: Different Concepts for a Diversity of
Phenomena," for the special issue of the Journal of Homosexuality, "Male
Intergenerational Intimacy," published in 1990.
Joseph Nicolosi and Dale O'Leary published an article on pedophilia and
referenced Dr. Sandfort's pro-pedophile research in: "On the Pedophilia Issue:
What The APA Should Have Known."
Savin-Williams favorable use of Dr. Sandfort--without providing background on
his his involvement in the pedophile movement--is evidence of the propagandist
nature of his writings. Savin-Williams is perfectly comfortable with gay
children and teens having sex with each other. His position on adult/child sex
is not directly stated but his use of a PAIDIKA board member as a cited resource
seems to imply approval.
Sexual Identity Formation
Professor Savin-Williams observes that it is difficult to tell how many teens
self-identify as gay because researchers use so many different methods for
assessing sexual identity. Among them are: They admit to themselves that they're
gay; they consider themselves gay; they describe themselves as gay; they realize
they're gay; they have an identity of being gay; they label themselves as gay;
and they know they're really gay.
He notes that this current generation of teens label themselves at a much
earlier age than in the past. It has decreased by five years among males and more
among females--from ages 21 down to 16. A second trend is that sex differences
in the age of self-identification have largely disappeared.
The author notes several problems with studies purporting to show the age at
which teens identify as gays. One is that researchers confuse sexual identity
with sexual orientation, "calling it one thing and measuring the other." (p.
165) Another problem is that many samples are unrepresentative.
He says that female teens are now more likely to use labels other than gay to
describe their sexual feelings. "Indeed, only a minority of same-sex-attracted
women say they are lesbian. Bisexual is more often preferred," said
Savin-Williams. (p. 168). Females also refer to themselves as ambisexual;
bi-queer; fluid bisexual; heterosexual-identified bisexual; pan-sexual;
polyfide; and more.
Bisexuality is another identity that is resistant to categorization into
heterosexual or gay identities. According to current literature, says the
author, bisexuals are considered to be in transition to heterosexuality or
homosexuality. He notes that many teens are also rejecting the bisexual term as
well. They see it as too limiting.
Rejecting Deficit Models Of Gay Teens
Savin-Williams wants researchers to reject the deficit/troubled teen model when
they study gay teenagers. "It is not too late for social scientists to reclaim
the study of gay adolescence and assert their place as the proper and rightful
scholars for developing knowledge about same-sex attracted adolescents. The
first step is for them to apply appropriate levels of methodological rigor and
sophistication in their investigations. The second is to appreciate the
diversity of same-sex attractions and individuals." (p. 186)
Savin-Williams also urges scholars to "break traditional barriers that prohibit
a forthright, positive discussion about sexuality with adolescents. (p. 190)
He says the message that scholars should send is that gay teens are diverse and
can develop into resilient, coping, healthy adults. "We can deliver this message
without ignoring those who are suffering, sometimes to the point of ending their
lives. ... It is this message that we need to articulate loudly and clearly, and
to support in the pages of our professional journals and in the media. Perhaps
then teenagers--and others as well--can hear it and believe it." (p. 193)
Savin-Williams concludes his polemic in favor of unrestrained sexual activity
for gay identified teenagers by stating: "It is my fervent hope that what is
being achieved in the real world [in the entertainment industry] can be achieved
in scholarship. I hope to see the elimination of same-sex sexuality as a
defining characteristic of adolescents in my lifetime. If it can be relegated to
insignificance, the lives of millions of teens will be dramatically improved."
(p. 223)
Ritch C. Savin-Williams, The New Gay Teenager, (Cambridge, Massachusetts;
Harvard University Press; April 2005; 228 pages; $24.95.)
Updated: 3 September 2008
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