Homos & Other Perverts
I have more research notes, if you'll forgive me.
These excerpts are from the report of a Senate subcommittee hearing in 1950; the short form of the title is "Employment of Homosexuals and Other Sex Perverts in Government".* It reported on the results of an investigative subcommittee hearing chaired by Senator Clyde Hoey (D-NC), an effort that probably also involved Kenneth Wherry (R-NE) somewhere, since he seemed to spearhead "lavender-scare" efforts in the Senate.
This first couple of paragraphs I found exceedingly useful because the subcommittee summarized just about everything one needs to know about what homosexuals are, both male and female, how to recognize them, and what to do about them. Wow! (They also demonstrate that entrenched misconceptions change exceedingly slowly. I do hope I don't need to point out that these are misconceptions. I suppose we might be happy that they even bothered to mention the bisexuals!)
The subcommittee found that most authorities agree on certain basic facts concerning sex perversion and it is felt that these facts should be considered in any discussion of the problem. Most authorities believe that sex deviation results from psychological rather than physical causes, and in many cases there are no outward characteristics or physical traits that are positive as identifying marks of sex perversion. Contrary to a common belief, all homosexual males do not have feminine mannerisms, nor do all female homosexuals display masculine characteristics in their dress or actions. The fact is that many male homosexuals are very masculine in their physical appearance and general demeanor, and many female homosexuals have every appearance of femininity in their outward behavior.
Generally speaking, the overt homosexual of both sexes can be divided into two general types; the active, aggressive or male type, and the submissive, passive or female type. The passive type of male homosexual, who often is effeminate in his mannerisms and appearance, is attracted to the masculine type of man and is friendly and congenial with women. On the other hand the active male homosexual often has a dislike for women. He exhibits no traces of femininity in his speech or mannerisms which would disclose his homosexuality. This active type is almost exclusively attracted to the passive type of homosexual or to young men or boys who are not necessarily homosexual but who are effeminate in general appearance or behavior. The active and passive type of female homosexual follow the same general patterns as their male counterparts. It is also a known fact that some perverts are bisexual. This type engages in normal heterosexual relationships as well as homosexual activities. These bisexual individuals are often married and have children, and except for their perverted activities they appear to lead normal lives.
Psychiatric physicians generally agree that indulgence in sexually perverted practices indicates a personality which has failed to reach sexual maturity. The authorities agree that most sex deviates respond to psychiatric treatment and can be cured if they have a genuine desire to be cured. However, many overt homosexuals have no real desire to abandon their way of life and in such cases cures are difficult, if not impossible. The subcommittee sincerely believes that persons afflicted with sexual desires which result in their engaging in overt acts of perversion should be considered as proper cases for medical and psychiatric treatment. However, sex perverts, like all other persons who by their overt acts violate moral codes and laws and the accepted standards of conduct, must be treated as transgressors and dealt with accordingly.
This next excerpt comes from the conclusions, and lays out a plan for dealing with homosexuals and other perverts. I particular like the admonition that getting the sex perverts out of Government should be "carried out in a manner consistent with the traditional American concepts of justice and fair play. "
Oh, I also think this is the only time I've ever seen the word "pussyfoot" in an official government document.
While this subcommittee is convinced that it is in the public interest to get sex perverts out of Government and keep them out, this program should be carried out in a manner consistent with the traditional American concepts of justice and fair play. In order to accomplish this end every reasonable complaint of perverted sex activities on the part of Government employees should be thoroughly investigated and dismissals should be ordered only after a complete review of the facts and in accordance with the present civil-service procedures. . . .
Since the initiation of this investigation considerable progress has been made in removing homosexuals and similar undesirable employees from positions in the Government. However, it should be borne in mind that the public interest cannot be adequately protected unless responsible officials adopt and maintain a realistic and vigilant attitude toward the problem of sex perverts in the Government. To pussyfoot or to take half measures will allow some known perverts to remain in Government and can result in the dismissal of innocent persons. . .
———-
* Long form: "Employment of Homosexuals and other Perverts in Government: Interim Report submitted to the Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments by its Subcommittee on Investigations pursuant to S. Res. 280 (81st Congress). A Resolution Authorizing the Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments to Carry Out Certain Duties."
The title, by the way, made it onto an amusing list called "Best Titles Ever!" from the Free Government Information blog.
The text (or a good portion of it–I haven't checked for completeness) can be found here, in a collection compiled for an old PBS/Frontline story called "Assault on Gay America: The Life and Death of Billy Jack Gaither", c. 2000.
A complete facsimile, in the form of scanned images, is available here, apparently as a reading for a course called "HSTY 1076, American History from Lincoln to Clinton", taught by Dr. Stephen Robertson at the University of Sydney, Australia. Thanks, Australia, for helping to get US government documents online.
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I welcome comments -- even dissent -- but I will delete without notice irrelevant, rude, psychotic, or incomprehensible comments, particularly those that I deem homophobic, unless they are amusing. The same goes for commercial comments and trackbacks. Sorry, but it's my blog and my decisions are final.
on Monday, 26 November 2007 at 22.10
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How spectacularly inappropriate, for these legislators to spend so much time and devote so much attention to something that was none of their business.
Well, considering the times, there was an arguably legitimate concern. With most of society believing homosexuals were deviants and guilty of bad behavior in the biblical sense, discovered homosexuals were subject to being blackmailed. Given the hysteria about communism, there were concerns about the risk posed to national security.
The key to defusing that risk, obviously, was for society to not fix it so that homosexuals had to keep their orientation secret. Since that's largely the case now, progress has definitely been made, don't you think?