Homosexuality: A Straight BYU Student's Perspective

Brad’s pulled together research and anecdotes, science and emotion, rational and religious arguments focusing on the causes and effects of homosexuality. He also addresses popular arguments for and against same-sex marriage (SSM), encouraging readers – especially Mormon readers – to set aside preconceived notions and consider different perspectives. He writes: "One reason for writing, especially the second part (SSM), is that same-sex marriage is a defining issue of my generation. The acknowledgement that biologically-caused homosexual orientation exists is relatively new, significantly substantiated only recently, and spreading. More and more people are choosing to come out, and more and more gay and lesbian people are openly living in lifelong committed relationships. Due to current and improving reproductive technologies, homosexuals are gaining access to reproduction, including with each other. Increased gender and racial equality, economic prosperity, no-fault divorce, and other changes have altered marriage from what it looked like in the 1950’s and I doubt the institution will ever go back. Now is the time to take a hard look at marriage from both a religious and civic standpoint and forge ahead with a marriage worthy of securing for ourselves and succeeding generations." What will you find in the chapters of this book? Emotional, tug-at-your heartstrings stories? Check. Scientific inquiries about causes of homosexual orientation? Check. Religious inquiries about the causes of homosexual orientation? Check. Scientific reports regarding mutability of homosexual orientation? Check. How homosexual couples can have their own biological children? Check. Twenty-five good reasons why, inside a thought experiment, LDS members and the LDS church should support SSM for homosexually oriented people ? Check. Rebuttals to reasons for anti-same-sex marriage arguments? Check. Discussion of Perry v. Schwarzenegger? Check. Brad’s background in biology and law influence the book’s organization and discussions, usually positively. He’s taken the time to review, summarize and reference more than 30 studies which examine the causes of homosexual orientation (asking whether orientation is primarily biological or environmental). While he provides conclusions from the studies (making for easy skimming) he encourages readers to keep their own scores and come up with their own conclusions based on the research cited. He also points out places where more research could (and should) be done by the reader. He’s also taken the time to discuss a number of arguments for and against same-sex marriage, using a similar approach - presenting the case and encouraging readers to draw their own conclusions - in addition to sharing his own opinion. The book itself is broken down into two major sections – the first dealing with homosexual orientation and the status of homosexuals in the LDS church; the second dealing with same-sex marriage issues. While the tone of the book is generally academic, Brad does note that he has written the book for those cherished friends who have suffered – some to the point of suicide attempts – as a result of living with their homosexuality. Sometimes the amount of information is overwhelming – whether it is intellectual or emotional – but making the information easily accessible is an important contribution of this book. Brad concludes this way: "I anticipate that my views as expressed in this book will change over time as I learn more. Thus, all that I have written is tentative- merely a snapshot of my current thinking. In composing it I hope that I have learned and come closer to truth- in reading it I hope you have as well. In addition to insights about SSM and homosexuality, I hope that you walk away from this book with one additional take-home: faithful members of the LDS church need not close their hearts nor remove their critical thinking caps to practice their religion."

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