Tricky Subjects...

This week focused on some sensitive subjects in family relations. Namely, we talked about gender roles, sexism, and same-sex attraction. The most significant learning experience I had this week was reading Chapter 8 in Understanding Same-Sex Attraction by Daryl Bem.

My belief about Same-Sex Attraction had always been that while there are chemical imbalances and brain differences, being gay is a choice. I believed that we are all given our own trials and weaknesses, so we could learn to put our faith in God. In Ether 12:27 we read,

"I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."

However, in the reading, what really stood out to me were the environmental factors. For example, when we treat naturally-born sensitive and creative little boys like there's something wrong with them because they don't like wrestling and playing soccer, they start to feel like there must be something different about them. They might even be called gay by their peers who don't even really know what that means. Also, if a child is sexually abused, or looks at same-sex pornography, and they find that arouses them, they start to think that must be the way they are--they're attracted to the same sex. This, of course, isn't true. There is such things as nonspecific autonomic arousal. 

This just emphasizes to me that as the world changes, I will have to teach my kids about homosexuality earlier than I would like to. Of course sensitivity and care and a lot of editing will take place in these conversations, realizing that many self-proclaimed homosexuals are that way because they just don't understand themselves leads me to conclude that getting rid of confusion is the first step to prevent homosexuality.