I was upset to open The Heights Thursday morning and find an editorial piece by Donato Infante III ("Bishops ask the right questions"). Mr. Infante's hope, I presume, in writing to The Heights was to educate others on just how well the Catholic Church has dealt with the issues surrounding the sex scandal and to address the church's handling of modern culture encroaching on their archaic practices. Unfortunately, while Mr. Infante spoke with authority, much of what he said regarding the sex scandal and homosexuality is beyond flawed; it verges on slander.
The insinuation by Mr. Infante that the problem within the American Catholic Church is "not pedophilia," but rather acts of "homosexual misconduct" is completely ludicrous. Pedophilia is a violent crime, much like rape, not an act of sexual gratification that can be attributed to the members of one sexual orientation. Furthermore, the John Jay study cited as proof that an astonishing 80 percent of priestly pedophiles were homosexuals was commissioned by none other than the Catholic Bishops of the United States in 2002 and given final approval by William P. Fay, a monsignor of the Catholic Church. Judging by the homophobia and bigotry that has been displayed in both recent church actions and Mr. Infante's ignorant letter, it is not a far stretch to imagine that a study commissioned and approved by the Catholic Church might be biased in some manner.
If Mr. Infante had taken the time to investigate the connectivity between homosexuality and pedophilia, not only would he have found numerous studies on the matter, but he would also find that there is, in fact, no noticeable connection.
Mr. Infante's misinformation is refuted in a study published in 2002 titled "Male Homosexuality, Science, and Pedophilia" (Cantor, J.M.). Based on extensive research carried out by the Kinsey Institute, the study serves to clarify a point that most people choose to overlook. Pedophilia is defined as "having an erotic interest in children that exceeds one's erotic interest in adults," while "having one's primary erotic interest in adults is teleiophilia." Additionally, in regard to male sexual behavior, "heterosexuality refers to having an erotic interest in females that exceeds one's erotic interest in males, and homosexuality refers to an erotic interest in males that exceeds one's erotic interest in females" (Cantor, J.M.). Therefore, the clarification that needs to be made is that homosexual teleiophilia is distinct from homosexual pedophilia. While this may seem like wordplay, the true wordplay is in labeling healthy and law abiding homosexual teleiophiles as pedophiles.
Interestingly enough, it has also been found that it is the attraction to an age group and not a sex that is more overwhelming in pedophiles - a male who molests a male boy is more likely to molest a female girl than to enter into sexual contact with another adult male. Information from the University of California-Davis clarifies that "many child molesters cannot be meaningfully described as homosexuals, heterosexuals, or bisexuals because they are not really capable of a relationship with an adult man or woman. Instead of gender, their sexual attractions are based primarily on age. These individuals - who are often characterized as fixated - are attracted to children, not to men or women." Of those men labeled "regressed pedophiles," that is they have entered into a normal adult relationship, but because of psychological stress have regressed to an attraction to underage persons, no evidence has been found to suggest a higher number of homosexuals than heterosexuals in this group.
Dr. A. Nicholas Groth, in a 1982 study, summarized that there is "no significant relationships between a homosexual lifestyle and child molestation." Therefore, the contention by Mr. Infante and others that homosexuals are pedophiles is scientifically unfounded. Lastly, Mr. Infante's desire to do the "best for all souls," including not placing homosexual males in a "field in which his peers are all male" is blatantly homophobic and offensive. As a homosexual male, I find that the suggestion that homosexuals are beyond self-control is bigoted. If Mr. Infante and others truly wish to do the "best for all souls," I suggest they begin by educating themselves on the facts in an attempt to end their own bigotry toward their GLBT brothers and sisters.
Christopher Young is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, and chief of academic affairs for the GLBT Leadership Council.
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