Homosexuality: Social, Psychological, and Biological Issues

Homosexuality: Social, Psychological, and Biological Issues is a 1982 book about homosexuality edited by the psychologist William Paul, the sex researcher James D. Weinrich, the psychologist John C. Gonsiorek, and the anthropologist Mary E. Hotvedt.

Homosexuality: Social, Psychological, and Biological Issues
Cover
EditorsWilliam Paul
James D. Weinrich
John C. Gonsiorek
Mary E. Hotvedt
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
SubjectHomosexuality
PublisherSAGE Publications
Publication date
1982
Media typePrint (Hardcover)
Pages416
ISBN0-8039-1825-9

Summary

The book is a collection of articles about homosexuality, discussing the topic from perspectives drawn from the social and biological sciences, and also including contributions relevant to social issues and questions of public policy.[1] It includes discussions of the relevance of hormonal evidence and evolutionary biology to understanding homosexuality.[2][3]

Background and publication history

Homosexuality: Social, Psychological, and Biological Issues was published in 1982 by SAGE Publications.[4] The book was a report of the Task Force on Sexual Orientation to the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, a division of the American Psychological Association.[5]

Reception

Homosexuality: Social, Psychological, and Biological Issues received a mixed review from Tony M. Coxton in Sociology of Health and Illness.[6] The book was also reviewed by the philosopher Frederick Suppe in The Advocate and Peter M. Davies in Sociology.[7][8] Weinrich was interviewed about his views in The Advocate.[9]

Coxton considered the book valuable given the expertise of its authors and the eminence of its sponsors, but wrote that the claim that it was "unique and extraordinary" overstated its importance, since it failed to present "a major synthesis or new perspective on the social scientific study of homosexuality". However, he found its approach "refreshingly accepting of gay identity and lifestyle", welcomed the "contributions from gay social scientists", and wrote that it contained "some very insightful and interesting papers" and "does not duck political issues of the responsibility that social science professional organizations have to gay people, as to other minorities." He considered the "most relevant and interesting" contributions to be the assessments of the hormonal and sociobiological explanations of homosexuality. Though he found it regrettable, he predicted that because of "entrenched homophobia" among psychiatrists and the "moral panic over AIDS", the book was unlike to have more than "a marginal impact on social science."[6]

Jeffrey Z. Rubin described Homosexuality: Social, Psychological, and Biological Issues as a "unique and extraordinary book".[10] Gonsiorek stated that while its editors had hoped that its information would "remain current for some decades, but that the need for it would lessen after the public policy debates had been resolved", the opposite occurred. According to Gonsiorek, Homosexuality: Research Implications for Public Policy (1991) was produced as an update to the older volume, which had become dated.[11]

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References
  1. Paul & Weinrich 1982, p. 19.
  2. Gartrell 1982, pp. 169–182.
  3. Kirsch & Rodman 1982, pp. 183–195.
  4. Paul et al. 1982, p. 4.
  5. De Cecco 1982, p. 15.
  6. Coxton 1985, pp. 121–122.
  7. Suppe 1983, p. 74.
  8. Davies 1984, pp. 146–147.
  9. Thompson 1983, p. 47.
  10. Rubin 1982, p. 9.
  11. Gonsiorek 1991, pp. vii–viii.

Bibliography
Books
  • De Cecco, John P. (1982). "A Short History of the Task Force on Sexual Orientation". In Paul, William; Weinrich, James D.; Gonsiorek, John C.; Hotvedt, Mary E. (eds.). Homosexuality: Social, Psychological, and Biological Issues. London: Sage Publications. ISBN 0-8039-1825-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Gartrell, Nanette K. (1982). "Hormones and Homosexuality". In Paul, William; Weinrich, James D.; Gonsiorek, John C.; Hotvedt, Mary E. (eds.). Homosexuality: Social, Psychological, and Biological Issues. London: Sage Publications. ISBN 0-8039-1825-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Gonsiorek, John C. (1991). "Preface". In Gonsiorek, John C.; Weinrich, James D. (eds.). Homosexuality: Research Implications for Public Policy. London: Sage Publications. ISBN 0-8039-3764-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Kirsch, John A. W.; Rodman, James Eric (1982). "Selection and Sexuality: The Darwinian View of Homosexuality". In Paul, William; Weinrich, James D.; Gonsiorek, John C.; Hotvedt, Mary E. (eds.). Homosexuality: Social, Psychological, and Biological Issues. London: Sage Publications. ISBN 0-8039-1825-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Paul, William; Weinrich, James D.; Gonsiorek, John C.; Hotvedt, Mary E. (1982). Paul, William; Weinrich, James D.; Gonsiorek, John C.; Hotvedt, Mary E. (eds.). Homosexuality: Social, Psychological, and Biological Issues. London: Sage Publications. ISBN 0-8039-1825-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Paul, William; Weinrich, James D. (1982). "Introduction". In Paul, William; Weinrich, James D.; Gonsiorek, John C.; Hotvedt, Mary E. (eds.). Homosexuality: Social, Psychological, and Biological Issues. London: Sage Publications. ISBN 0-8039-1825-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Rubin, Jeffrey Z. (1982). "Foreword". In Paul, William; Weinrich, James D.; Gonsiorek, John C.; Hotvedt, Mary E. (eds.). Homosexuality: Social, Psychological, and Biological Issues. London: Sage Publications. ISBN 0-8039-1825-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
Journals
  • Coxton, Tony (1985). "Homosexuality: Social, Psychological and Biological Issues/The Married Homosexual Man: a psychological study (Book)". Sociology of Health and Illness. 7 (1).CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)  – via EBSCO's Academic Search Complete (subscription required)
  • Davies, Peter M. (1984). "Homosexuality. Social, Psychological and Biological Issues/The Married Homosexual Man: A Psychological Study". Sociology. 18 (1).CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)  – via EBSCO's Academic Search Complete (subscription required)
  • Suppe, Frederick (1983). "Homosexuality: Social, Psychological, and Biological Issues (Book)". The Advocate (360).CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)  – via EBSCO's Academic Search Complete (subscription required)
  • Thompson, Mark (1983). "Sociobiologist James Weinrich probing the puzzle". The Advocate (378).CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)  – via EBSCO's Academic Search Complete (subscription required)
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