By Dr D. Narayana Reddy
Copyright deccanchronicle
Burkino FASO, an African country, recently banned homosexuality as a crime punishable with prison and fines. Such measures stem from a belief that homosexuality is harmful to society. Homosexuality is not a crime. Sexual orientation and crime are totally different issues. Homosexuals do not choose to be like that. They are born that way just as we heterosexuals did not choose to be so. Fears that homosexuals will abuse children and convert them into homosexuals too, or will indulge in male rape and spread HIV/AIDS, are unfounded. These fears reflect the fact that ignorance (about sexuality) breeds misconceptions about sexual behavior. Behavioral and medical research have clearly proved that the inborn sexual attraction whether to the opposite sex or to the same, does not lead to criminality. Homosexuals are as normal as heterosexual are. They can be mature, intelligent, skilled and humane. There are black sheep in any group. In fact, the incidence of criminal acts perpetrated by heterosexuals outnumbers those committed by homosexuals. Child sexual abusers are mostly close relatives and persons known to the children and in whom the children repose trust. These abusers are mostly insecure and developmentally dysfunctional heterosexual men. Similarly, rape, whether of men or women, is committed by psychologically disturbed individuals. According to Robert Hazelwood, former FBI special agent and behavioral scientist, the motives for rape range from power reassurance, power assertion, retaliation against real and imagined wrong, sexual excitation through sadistic acts etc. Sexual pleasure is not the motive. The pleasure of humiliating the other person is more appealing than the sexual act itself. Epidemiological evidence in Asia and Africa clearly shows that HIV/AIDS is spread more through heterosexual intercourse than homosexual intercourse. The problem with most heterosexuals is that, by virtue of their being a majority, they consider themselves normal and homosexuals abnormal. Lack of knowledge about human sexuality due to the absence of sex education makes people fear and despise homosexuals. Scientific knowledge will help them understand and accept both types of sexual orientation. What we need is equal rights for homosexuals and not a law against them. Asathoma Sathgamaya! Lead me from untruth to truth!
