Date: May 8, 2012
I remain steadfast in the stance, that any manual, organization, thought process, etc., which dictates demonstrably naturally occurring (to a considerably common degree) sexual orientations and activities to be a “disorder”, or “mental illness”, are themselves irreconcilable with honest and objective reality.
The DSM, in my opinion, has played a very tragic, villainous role, when it comes to it’s own history concerning sexual minorities. Despite that there has been some backtracking, this mode of behavior continues to linger on, but is more focused on “pedophiles” and “ephebophiles” (“hebephiles”), as the individuals, bodies and books concerned can still politically get away with employing pseudoscience against these socially vulnerable, sexual minorities.
I suggest, that if these sexual minorities ever succeeded in the uphill battle of becoming organized, politically motivated and socially powerful, your organization and it’s DSM would ultimately relent, because history has already shown us that when it comes to sexual behaviors, your primary compass the perception of “social norms”. The removal of gays and lesbians from the DSM, was truthfully a result of the deep decline in anti gay and lesbian bigotry.
It is a true shame, that sexual minorities are treated like this, in the DSM. It is further shameful, that it demands such monumental acts of organization, mobilization and political arm twisting, for any sexual minority to finally get an authoritative medical organization, to treat it with objectivity and respect.
While I acknowledge, that given the tremendous social burdens and abuses imposed upon “pedophiles”, etc., can correlate with a higher degree of psychological breakdown and mental illness (because I am a pedophile, and have much personal experience with this), and this might render us more prone towards needing psychological care on average, I fully reject any notion that the sexual orientation, itself, is a “disorder” or “illness”. In all my years, I have never encountered credible, unbiased, methodologically sound research, which has lead to the conclusion that mutually pleasurable, mutually gratifying and respectful sexual touch, leads to factual injury on the part of any participant (absent an STD, of course). This species of “injury”, has consistently centered around the question, of whether or not sexual activities associated with a sexual orientation, are culturally popular.
If a man and a ten year old boy were shipwrecked on an island, with little to no hope for rescue, there is no objective measuring stick to call it “wrong”, should those two commence in sexual fooling around with each other. Absent an intolerant society to stand in the way and burden the choice of these two, there is nothing to make these two feel as if what they were doing were “out of place”, or somehow unnatural (aside from any possible, preexisting, mental conditioning). In such an environment, such a thing could be quite vital, meaningful and beautiful. The questions in my mind, are why some societies so harshly refuse to acknowledge the inherent sexuality, in humans of all ages, and why they refuse to acknowledge the natural, social roles of “pedophiles”, etc.
Will the day ever come, when the many social problems caused from all of this sexual suppression and repression (along with the money and resources thrown at it), are acknowledged in their own right?
Ugly social truth here, is that “pedophiles”, etc., are a modern day chattel minority. Meaning, we are easily exploited scapegoats, and there are a myriad of people and platforms (media, medical, private prison-for-profit systems, etc, etc.), all to happy to make a profit at our expense and detriment. They are willing to degrade, slur and injure us in any way they can get away with, and go about pretending that “we aren’t human”, or “we deserved it”.
It seems, nobody ever sees us for the human beings, we actually are, nor that so many of us are very ethical.
With regards to someone like myself, the DSM has primarily represented little more than a social and political weapon, which eases the pathway for those who would keep people like me in chains, as if we were rabid animals. It remains a tool of oppression, for several sexual classes of human beings (not the least of which being, children themselves).
I don’t know if what I have offered here, is going to be seen as much benefit to your goals. But, living in a minority which has been saddled with some of the most ruthless, cruel stereotypical representations imaginable (even though they do not resemble people like myself), has left me with very strong, extremely deep motivations and feelings, when it comes to issues like the DSM.
You opened the door to comment, so I decided to exercise my voice.
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