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Ref. 20: CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES OF HOMOSEXUAL MEN By Dale O'Leary May 1998 for National Association of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) For the ordinary boy, development takes a predictable course. He is born genetically male and discovers very early that human beings are divided into two groups male and female, and that he is male. He identifies with other males, particularly his father, and imitates male behavior. These behaviors are reinforced by adults and other children. He joins a peer group of other boys. Hormones in his body create changes in the brain which drive and reinforce male behavior patterns. He is sexually attracted to the other sex -- namely girls -- and will probably fantasize about sexual encounters and eventually engage in sexual acts with women. Leanne Payne, an expert on the healing of sexual brokenness, describes masculinity "not as a thing to be learned, but rather as a quality to be tasted and experienced." According to Payne, the masculine within the boy is called forth by the masculine without. (Payne 1985, p.11) In some cases, however, normal development does not occur. He may experience rejection from his father or his peers or both. He may reject his father as role model. The boy may as a child express a desire to be a girl and imitate female behavior rather than male or he may know he is male but feel inadequately masculine. As puberty approaches his desire for the male may be transformed into a sexual attraction to other males, causing him fantasize about males rather than females and eventually leading him to engage in sexual behavior with males. The following article will comparing the childhood experiences of those men who develop a complete masculine and heterosexual identification, with those who do not. For a look at the original text and an opportunity download the other chapters in Father’s for Life (in English) click here file size: 144 k) |