|
from Books & Reviews
Gay Physicians
Offer Sexuality Advice to Parents
By Frank York
June 22, 2004 - Two openly-gay physicians--one a pediatrician and one a
psychiatrist--have written a parenting advice book on the sexual development of
children. Authors Mark A. Schuster and Justin Richardson's book, Everything you
NEVER wanted your kids to know about Sex (but were afraid they'd ask), was
published in a paperback version by Three Rivers Press, a division of Crown
Publishing Company/Random House.
Dr. Richardson has been a long-time promoter of homosexuality to teenagers and
was featured in a NARTH article in September, 2002. Richardson is an assistant
professor of psychiatry at Columbia and Cornell University.
Dr. Schuster dedicates his book to his partner, Jeffrey Webb, and is an
associate professor of pediatrics at UCLA as well as a researcher at the RAND
corporation.
Schuster and Richardson devote Chapter Five to a discussion of the issue of
sexual orientation, and they promote the theory that homosexuality is genetic.
They refer to the long-discredited twin study, and prepare parents for accepting
that their child may be a homosexual who needs love and acceptance.
Other sections of the book deal with sexually active teens, abortion, and
sexually transmitted diseases.
Chapter Five--Perpetuating Gay Mythology
Drs. Schuster and Richardson recommend that parents come to terms with the
reality that their son or daughter may turn out to be gay. "Consider the
possibility that you may have been charged with the responsibility of raising a
gay son or daughter."
To the question of whether or not homosexuality is genetic, the authors respond
that genes are the only factor known to play a role in sexual orientation--and
that there is no evidence whatsoever that parenting influences contribute in any
way to a child's sexual identity.
They say: "First and foremost, there is good evidence that genes play a major
but not determinative role in shaping your child's sexual orientation. In fact,
for all its confusion, the extensive research into the origins of sexual
orientation makes one thing clear: The only known vote you have in your child's
sexual orientation you cast with an egg or a sperm."
To prove that homosexuality is genetic, the authors cite the discredited twins
study. (pages 146-147).
To aid parents in accepting that they may have a gay son or daughter, Drs.
Schuster and Richardson recommend parents associate with Parents and Friends of
Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), an organization reported on at length by NARTH which
has published a "recommended reading list for teenagers" of books on witchcraft,
sex between adults and children, group sex, and similar practices.
"Do It if You Wish--But Use A Condom Or Dental Dam"
In Chapter Eight, "Ready or Not: Facing the Abstinence Decision," the authors
concede that children who have decided to be sexually active must receive
guidance from their parents in how to reduce the risks of pregnancies or STDs.
The solution to these dilemmas is not for parents to expect premarital
abstinence, but to encourage children to use condoms and dental dams whenever
engaging in oral, anal, or vaginal sex.
According to Schuster and Richardson, "don't try to prevent" your daughter from
having premarital sex. (page 280). "Just teach her. ... Teach her how to think for
herself and to make her own choices; and when she does, respect those
decisions."
Children should use condoms each time they have anal or vaginal sex, say the
authors. In addition, they advise that children should use unlubricated condoms
whenever engaging in oral sex, and dental dams for anilingus and cunnilingus
when girls having sex with other girls.
Positive Pornography Use For Boys
Drs. Richardson and Schuster deal with the issue of teenage boys using
pornography with this advice: "Pornography certainly seems to fill a need. It
can open a door to satisfying sexual experiences for teens too inhibited or
isolated to enjoy them with others. Although it's been known to stir up the
desire to search out sex of the non-solo variety, some kids say they've also
found it to be a tool for maintaining abstinence..." (pages 323-24)
The authors recommend that parents who find their teen using pornography a good
sex manual that will provide him with how-to information and descriptions of
sexual positions.
Let Them Have Sex in the Family Home
According to Richardson and Schuster, parents with a sexually active teen may
eventually be asked if the teen can have sex at home instead of in the back set
of a car.
The solution? "It seems to us, although we don't know of any research on the
subject, that your teenager is more likely to use contraception if he's in a
safe and controlled environment, one where he will have had at least a little
time to set things up for the occasion and where the atmosphere isn't one of
subterfuge. And, hey, maybe this will inspire him to clean up his room." (page
328)
Abortion And Outercourse
Schuster and Richardson describe abortion as one of the most common surgical
procedures in the U.S. and list it as one of the solutions to an unwanted
pregnancy. After the abortion, parents "may need to mourn a loss - the loss of a
baby, the loss of your child's innocence, or the loss of authority over your
child." (page 371)
The authors claim that setting a rule for a child to abstain from all sexual
activity may not work, but recommend outercourse, which is described as a
"measured approach" to the issue of abstinence versus intercourse. (page 374)
Very Bad Advice
All in all, in this reviewer's opinion, Schuster and Richardson's book is filled
with chapter upon chapter of very bad advice for parents-- recommending sexual
activities that lead to STDs, AIDS infection, abortions, a coarsening culture,
broken relationships, disrespect for the uniqueness of marriage, and pornography
addiction.
Updated: 3 September 2008
|
