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Some responses to the NYTimes article and the "study"
Below are just a few of the many responses that have been issued including ones from former board member Gigi (funny) and NGLTF (comprehensive analysis and links to other responses). Additional responses can be found at BiResource.org (be sure to scroll down on the site to see all the responses), Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting and GLAAD. Please let us know of other links that we should list.
More will be posted a little later. If responding to the New York Times ( letters@nytimes.com) also cc to GLAAD (lund@glaad.org) and NGLTF (rsklar@thetaskforce.org)
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From former BiNet Board Member Gigi:
NEW SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS DISCOVERED!!!!
A new study* has found that there may be many different types of sexual
orientations and that most males are not straight or gay. In this new
study, a team of psychologists directly measured genital arousal patterns of men in response to images of men, women, and an array of other images. In
addition, the men were monitored during their daily lives for several weeks.
The psychologists found that men had genital arousal patterns that reshape
sexual orientation.Out of one hundred subjects, 28 showed genital arousal patterns when showed a picture of a nickel. Thus, there are men who are attracted to nickels.
The area where all the men studied showed genital arousal patterns was an
unexpected surprise. They each showed genital arousal caused by waking up
in the morning in their beds. Is this a new bed fetish? We do not think
so. Our conclusions are that the outstanding orientation that came out of
this study is that 100% of the men are sexually attracted to waking up in
the morning in their beds. Other findings suggest that males may be sexually oriented to a variety of objects. Seventy percent of the men showed genital arousal when attending boring business meetings. Another 35 percent showed genital arousal when driving a sports car.
Sixty five percent of the males showed no genital arousal to pornographic
pictures of either men or women. We still are not sure what this finding
represents, but our researchers are searching for better porn magazines for
future studies.Clearly, much more research is needed in this area.
* Note: A response, not a real clinical study
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From the NGLTF:
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force denounces New York Times story ...
promoting bisexual stereotypes
WASHINGTON, July 11 — The New York Times published a story July 5
titled "Straight, Gay or Lying? Bisexuality Revisited," covering a
forthcoming study on bisexuality in males. The article, which concludes that the study "casts doubt on whether true bisexuality exists, at least in
men," fails to note several serious and obvious questions about the study's
methodology and underlying premises; fails to report the serious
controversies that have plagued one of the study's authors in the past;
misstates some of the study's conclusions; and fails to reflect the views of any leaders in the bisexual community. The study’s senior author, J.
Michael Bailey, maintained that "there is no hint" that bisexual
orientation exists among men. The Times failed to note that Bailey's past
research has been roundly criticized and that he has been accused of
misconduct by some of his research subjects. Statement by Matt Foreman, Executive Director National Gay and Lesbian Task Force "We remain stunned that the New York Times Science section would carry such a shoddy, sensationalistic and downright insulting story. It — and the profoundly flawed 'study' it purports to cover — are laced with biased premises, misstatements and inaccuracies. It equates sexual orientation with sexual arousal, as supposedly measured by a crude device — considered highly suspect by researchers — in the hands of an individual with a long history of controversial research. It defames the truth in the lives and loves of millions of bisexual men. The Times should be ashamed." A fact sheet detailing some of the problems with the article is available at
http://www.thetaskforce.org/downloads/NYTBisexualityFactSheet.pdf. Copies of letters to the NYTimes can be found at the NGLTF community letters
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