FOREWORD

I had reached the point where | could no longer be satisfied walking across the campus muttering conversations to myself, The scenario was so predictable it was boring and the outcome so involutional it was frightening. A friend, a colleague, a Church authority, or a student would, in all seriousness, make same statement about homosexuality that defied any consideration of reason, research of intelligence. Circumstances made it difficult or impossible to counter in any way. The opprobrium against homosexuality in the Mormon culture and the particular paranoia of it at Brigham Young University reduced my options in these circumstances to that of a passive listener, a position I came to detest. A self contained rage of retorts that followed became increasingly dissatisfying. I am not the soap box orator type nor some radical subersive inflamed with a kinky cause celebre. I simply find it difficult to endure a climate in which emotional bigotry and ignorance hold sway over reason and experience, where answers are shouted from the pulpit before the right questions are asked and where solutions are acheived in the clinic and lab before the problem is understood or even defined.

Few subjects are as misunderstood as homosexuality. Few subjects evoke such emotionalism and hostility. The world is essentially in the dark ages on this subject as even the lop experts agree. The Mormon culture lags far behind as born out by the lecture given by Dr. Reed Payne to his beginning psychology class at BYU in the Spring of 1977. This lecture again threw me into interminable mutterings and no resolution came until I finally set down in writing a reply to his class presentation.

My letter to Dr. Payne has given me hope. For the first time in years I can quit muttering. I know Or. Payne disagrees with some of my comments and is troubled by others. but he and his colleagues now know more about homosexuality than when the lecture was given. Hopefully the response which they are now preparing will be a contribution to our understanding of homosexuality and will address the central issues which for too long have been ignored, handed over to moralizing or scripturalizing and generally relegated to simple formulas. We need a responsible, well reasoned dialogue on these issues and not a picky academic criticism of my letter.

I showed the letter lo my family and many of my friends. Their response was enthusiastic and they were soon sending it 10 other families, friends and Church authorities. Needless to say the response—at least those I hear about—have been mixed, That most of them have been favorable has given me hope that in the long run wisdom will prevail. Perhaps now others will be encouraged to come forth with their views and experiences. An emotional prejudice has held center stage far too long. We as a people have not been wise. The cost has been immense in terms of human lives and suffering. We must not perpetuate that kind of evil.

Provo, Utah

1977