There is some ground for the belief of some kind of recruitment in the acts taken to promote acceptance. Every year on April 9th a growing silent protest is held sponsored by gay/straight alliances at high schools and collage campuses all over the country for the support and acceptance of homosexual rights. The protest also promotes the right to live a homosexual life free to express ones orientation in whatever way they feel necessary. This protest called the Day of Silence, is a strong political tool used to further advance the civil rights movement for homosexuals, and not used for recruitment into the homosexual lifestyle.
Dealing with the matter of recruitment, the AFA also mentions the safe houses that many schools offer for students. The AFA identifies these zones in the following way:
�The �gay� pink icon indicates students can go and openly speak to that teacher or administrator about their same-sex attractions. Rather than sharing the truth that no one is born �gay,� that in most cases homosexuality develops in one's childhood and that complete change to �healthy heterosexuality� is completely possible, the students are mislead.
The �gay� or homo-sympathetic counselor, in many cases following GLSEN guidelines, will usually affirm the questioning youths' 'gay' feelings and encourage them down the homosexual path. These counselors will then often refer the students to outside homosexual organizations and 'gay' clubs - without parental knowledge or consent.
Unfortunately for many of these children, this will be the beginning of the end� (Bennett, 2003)
The true purpose is to allow homosexuals (or anyone) to have a safe place where they can discuss issues of sexuality freely with out feeling prejudice. There is, of course, another reason these zones. These zones are a place where the homosexual individual can feel like a member of the majority while escaping heterosexism.
Counselors telling students that there is no way to completely change the student heterosexual again has no merit for two reasons. First, these sessions are kept confidential. Second, no one knows what causes homosexuality. There is, however, a common misconception that homosexuals can be turned back to heterosexual. There are in existence some help groups to deal with homosexuality: These groups are known as Homosexual Anonymous groups. It is interesting to think about the irrational fears and speculation of homosexual recruiting people while so many of the very people who accuse homosexuals of recruiting are trying to convert homosexuals to heterosexuals. I am sure this is not looked at as recruiting in there eyes.
As reported by Christopher Lane in his article �Gay Today�,� these homosexual anonymous groups hold the idea that anyone can be changed from homosexual to heterosexual. In these groups homosexuality is treated and analyzed as though some form of substance abuse or alcoholism. �this group�s agenda is to convert �unhappy� homosexuals�its purpose being to offer such people counseling for the sins of their �perverse lifestyles�� (Lane, 1995). The group leaders hold the belief, as stated in their literature, �It is a paradox of Homosexual Anonymous that people who become members discover in time that by God�s grace they are not what they thought they were� (Lane, 1995). In summery they don�t believe homosexuality truly exists and refer to homosexuality as �the Big H.� The treatment of homosexuality as though it is an addiction results in the same disturbing feelings if treatment is unsuccessful. If a person fails to have a successful �recovery� to heterosexuality then the attitude is held that they didn�t try hard enough.
�Yes dear, he�s one of those� not that I actually know any.� �Elinor Fine, Far From Heaven.
The idea of not actually knowing anyone who is homosexual is a common idea that many individuals hold. About 1.4 percent of women and 2.8 percent of men identify as being homosexual, while many more admit to engaging in homosexual acts of a sexual nature while identifying as heterosexual. (Laumann, 1994) When we sit and think about how many individuals we know it is easy to figure that we know many individuals who are in fact gay. However, if the individual doesn�t point out his or her sexuality, he or she will most likely go unnoticed. If a person doesn�t single out his or her own sexual preference and the heterosexual advantage stays in place, then theoretically everyone has come into contact with and does know a homosexual person though they may not know it.
The issue of AIDS frequently makes itself known in the stereotypes of homosexuals. While it is true that the AIDS epidemic is more of a major problem than it is for heterosexuals, it is important to take into consideration the truths of the problem. As reported by the CDC in the year 2001, 195 young men ages 13-19 were polled and it was found that 80 (41%) have been exposed to AIDS through sexual relations with other men, while 8 (4%) have been exposed to AIDS through heterosexual contact. 865 men ages 20-24 were polled to find that 455 (53%) were exposed to AIDS through sex with men while 73 (8%) where exposed through heterosexual contact. 177 women ages 13-19 where polled to find that 57 (32%) where exposed to AIDS through heterosexual contact while 596 of there 20-24 year old colleagues reported 289 (48%) where exposed through heterosexual contact (CDC, 2003). Figures of homosexual contact among women where not available.
We can even take a closer look at the relationship of the problem by charting the figures into figure 1, presented by the CDC.