Comments on: Corvino: We’ve still got far to go

By: GrinCanyon

GrinCanyon — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:09:31 +0000

As a gay identical twin with a straight gay twin brother and with a good friend also with a gay/straight identical twin combo, I’ve never bought the genetic argument. The studies which suggest that stress induced pregnancies increase the gay population (re: gay population increase in London for births from pregnancies during the London blitz), the impact of the hormonal environment–specifically the androgens like testosterone–which differs between one womb environment and another, even for identical twins, and other collateral growing evidence gives lie to these so-called religious and moral arguments. They give lie to the ‘choice’ which many believe is open to gays who know from a very young age of their same sex attraction, an attraction likely driven by androgen level during a stress-induced trimester of testosterone and other androgens washing the fetus. This doesn’t even begin to broach the studies which track the statistical increase in gayness in subsequent male children so that the more a boy has older brothers, the greater the likelihood that the younger child will be gay. This is logical as the mother, one gender, has to have an immunological ability to prevent her body from eliminating the fetus–particularly if the fetus is of another gender (male). So, the first male stimulates that immune system and subsequent male pregnancies increase the chances of that fetus being gay–the younger gay brother syndrome–so that the more older brothers one has, the greater the likelihood that that younger one will turn out gay as hormonal level adjust to the mother’s immune system’s response in having to prevent her body from rejecting the growing fetus. I leave it to medical researchers to discuss the pathway for female homosexuality, but it is obviously also related to hormonal influence as CAT scans of female brains looking at the corpus collosum (which is the connecting communication bundle between the left and right hemispheres of the brain and a major result from gender changes induced by hormonal washing) show gay females to have brain which reflect the shape of straight male brains with smaller corpus collosums. This increases the ability of males to focus (and ignore or shut out information) while the communicative bundle in straight females increases commmunication between the two hemispheres (ever talk to a woman who manages to monitor multiple conversations at a party while the male focuses on one conversation). So, my argument is for greater research. It is for ridiculing these out-moded religious, moral and other arguments for a process obviously driven by hormonal influence. It makes as little sense as “reparative therapy”. Of course, my social cynicism can’t help but raise its head at the vast potential for the ignorance of society to be stupid.

By: Wayne M.

Wayne M. — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:04:50 +0000

Empowering LGBTQ youth to be leaders for equality and liberation is the best way we have to sustain gains we have made and continue to make gains. We need to support more camps such as this and Camp fYrefly in Canada.

By: Twisted Pride

Twisted Pride — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:30:46 +0000

@Leo Murrieta Thank you! We need so many more people like you.

By: Leo Equality Murrieta

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 03:36:09 +0000

Firstly, thank you.

The day that I came out was quite possibly one of the worst days of my life…

I’m one of those mentioned that isn’t priviliged; I grew up in poverty, my father used to be a pastor, my family is deeply religious, lastly, my entire family is from Mexico and very much attached to the traditions of my parent’s generation.

I came to accept who I was in time to do something with myself, I’m now the political correspondent for the citywide gay magazine in my city. I’ve taken it upon myself to keep my generation informed on what is happening in the world, and how it would or will affect us.

I find great satisfaction in hearing that other young people are out there standing up for the LGBT community, (notice everyone puts that one differently “GLBT/LGBT”), but there is always room for more bright young people to step up and take our movement for equality into the new millennium.

Thank you for realizing that our generation is able and will soon be ready to stand for our rights.

Leo in Las Vegas
http://www.citizenzero.us

By: Twisted Pride

Twisted Pride — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 00:59:37 +0000

I’m not usually a touchy-feely, share-your-emotions, “Trust the Process” kind of guy. I’m a philosophy professor. I revel in cold, hard logic.
—-
I am the complete opposite and sometimes my opinions are mis-guided and mis-directed, however I do speak from the heart.
I learn so much from Dr. Corvino and his readers….I thank you all for the education.

By: Yukkuri

Yukkuri — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 22:45:23 +0000

This is the best work I’ve read from you so far.

I’m only 17 now and I remember how at the very last week of school, we had an English final, a presentation detailing ‘Who and what we are’ and I ended up coming out to some thirty more-or-less total strangers (in that everything they’d known up to then was a lie) at the same time. And it was great. There was acceptance.

The painful part is that only two people in my family know- my mother and my older sister. And I’m fine with that, and they’re fine with it too, and they seem to love me more than ever for having the courage to do what I did.

My story is pretty rare in my experience, but I don’t plan to waste it. I seem to be the only ‘approachable’ gay male at my school, with all the others having some oddity that makes people shy away, and even now over the summer I get people asking me questions about being gay, have I been discriminated against, the works.

I don’t plan to waste this opportunity, that’s for sure.

By: Lincoln

Lincoln — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 20:35:15 +0000

Mr. Corvino,
I am the partner of one of the campers from the Pride Leadership Camp. She is twice the age of all the other campers and this was her first “Camp” of any kind.
After reading your column at 365gay.com I felt the need to let you know what an impact it had on her.
Tami had never been part of gay life before we met. She was out and proud, but that was about it. She had never been to any Pride event, did not vote, or keep up on gay related news. I am the activist and took her to her first parade. She realizes now that she can make a difference and there are people who are working at every level to create change. She is glad now that I have been reading the gay news out loud for years, your column being one my favorites.
This camp woke her up. She was exposed to a wide variety of people and situations that touched her. She almost chickened out as she was the oldest (42) and felt backwards, but she hung in. She stayed after blowing out her knee on the DC trip. She was also worn out from the amount of activities, but she hung in.
This camp did so much to prove to her that she could do anything she wanted to and to be an active member of our population. The information and networking the camp offered is invaluable and she plans to do her part to keep this energy alive and share it with her school. I am so proud of her.
Thank you for your part in this transformation.
BJ Lincoln

PS. I have been sending my Mom your column for years and there has been a better understanding between us. Thanks

By: Dr. Peter

Dr. Peter — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 20:16:16 +0000

Dr. John Corvino:re “We Still Have Far to Go.”
I have been following your thoughts (reading your work) for a long time now, and the above mentioned article of yours is–by far–the best, most honest, relevent, most openly ‘real’ piece of work I have had the honor of sharing with you! My respect and admiration for you and your work only continues to increase. Thank you.

Respectfully

By: nisomer

nisomer — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 18:29:04 +0000

john, you were an awesome den leader and i continue to look up to you. thank you for this column and letting the world know what great things we are doing.
-nick

By: Sarah Hammel

Sarah Hammel — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:54:39 +0000

John, you were an amazing faculty/staff member at Campus Pride. You taught me so much through your workshop on morality & I thank you for that. I hope you got at least half of what the campers got out of this experience. It was probably the best 6 days of my life. Thanks again for being a part of it.