Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 10:39:48 -0500 (CDT) From: Kevyn Jacobs To: "Kansas Queer News [KQN]" Subject: UDK: HOMOSEXUAL STEREOTYPES PERPETUATED BY FEAR FROM THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS - LAWRENCE APRIL 12, 1995 FRONT PAGE ================================ HOMOSEXUAL STEREOTYPES PERPETUATED BY FEAR Research says myths about gays are wrong By Robert Allen Kansan staffwriter When the Kansan last week reported that Eric Moore, former director of LesBiGay Services of Kansas and former Student Senate candidate, had in 1990 been convicted of aggravated indecent solicitation of a child under 12, it touched off a storm of protest regarding the stereotype of gays and lesbians as child molesters. Experts agree that many stereotypes of gay and lesbian people have no basis in fact and that they are perpetuated by fear or misunderstanding. The belief that homosexuals are more likely to molest children is untrue, said Dennis Dailey, professor of social welfare. "The stereotype that gay people are predators of children is remarkably inaccurate," he said. "Gay and lesbian adults prefer sexual relationships with gay and lesbian adults, just like heterosexual adults prefer sexual relationships with adult heterosexuals." A study published in the July 1994 issue of Pediatrics found that in 82 percent of the child molestation cases studied, the alleged offender was a heterosexual partner of a close relative of the child. "The research indicates that the great bulk of children who are sexually misused are misused by heterosexually oriented persons," Dailey said. But despite the research, people still hang onto the old myths about homosexuals, said Pamela Botts, associate director of counseling and psychological services at Watkins Memorial Health Center. Fear and superstition and other kinds of irrational things drive these stereotypes, she said. "And unfortunately, homosexual people are defined by their sexuality, as opposed to the rest of the population," she said. "Homosexuals are lawyers, politicians, university professors and athletes. They cover the whole spectrum of society just like everybody else does." Dailey said that students in his classes often had preconceived notions about gays and lesbians. "They have learned that they are recruiting children to become gay," he said. There is no evidence to support this, he said. Some students also believed that to some extent, gays and lesbians are more promiscuous that heterosexuals. "They would have to go a long way to be more promiscuous than heterosexuals," he said. "Heterosexuals aren't doing too well with monogamy." Combating stereotypes is difficult, Dailey said. "I think stereotypes probably change when the holder of the stereotype begins to suffer from having the stereotype," he said. "Parents who have stereotypes about gays often change their stereotypes when they find out that one of their children is gay. They very often work towards correcting it." Botts said that in order to dispel myths about certain groups, it was important to get to know a member of that group. "Probably the most effective method in dispelling fear and changing attitudes is a personal relationship with someone who is in a group different from ourselves," she said. "Get to know somebody."