Paternal Absence As The Strongest Factor Of Male Homosexuality

The condition "homosexuality" commonly evokes a negative impression from most people, especially in conventional societies as the Philippines. For many years most psychiatrists presupposed that homosexuality was a form of mental illness, until 1973 when the American Psychiatric Association (APA) decided to define such condition as a normal behavior. Homosexuals, as described by APA, are "individuals whose sexual interests are directed toward people of the same sex and who are either bothered by, in conflict with, or wish to change, their sexual orientations."

As aforementioned, traditional societies consider homosexual relationships illicit and immoral. However, what these societies have not taken into account is that there is a deeper reason than merely having carnal desires toward the people of the same sex underlying the causation of homosexuality among men: a cause rooted in the family.

Homosexual orientation depends on the difficulties in the parent-child relationship, especially in the early, formative years of life. When the child suffers from an unmet attachment-need to the parent of the same-sex, the child seeks affection from a member of t

The father is the main masculine model in the family. "…the father is the head. He is the strong masculine figure to which the boys inevitably identify with," Pura Medina Flores noted, quoting Estefania Lim. He is the parent who provides a different element in the overall development of the son. During the son's infant years, he is much attached with his mother. Beginning at about the age of three, the son starts to search for a masculine model on which to build his sense of self. He slowly withdraws himself from his mother and femininity. At some point, he might feel he is encountering a dilemma of losing his mother over identifying himself with his father. The father help lessen such struggle by gently drawing away the son from an overdependence on his mother and into interaction with the world at large.

It has been established that homosexuals quest for same-sex love to be able to complete the unmet identification process they should have experienced in their relationship with their father. Just as what Moberly suggests, the therapists should be a member of the same sex. Since what needs to be fulfilled is the same-sex attachment need of the homosexual to the father, the therapist should be a male.

A study directed by Milagros Du-Lagrosa also provides explanation on this matter. Her findings show a considerable difference between the masculinity adjustment of teenage boys in father-absent homes and in father-present homes. The test she employed, which measured the sex role preference of the respondents of both groups, showed results that the boys are feminine. The non-difference is because the psychological aspect of paternal absence has not been considered. However, looking at the psychological aspect of the fathers, father-present boys have a considerable edge in their masculinity development. A good explanation for this is that father's physical presence indicates paternal nurturance and availability to serve as the son's model of manhood. However, a father who is physically present but is handicapped in his psychological functioning would make the boy suffer from the lack of a masculine figure to identify himself with.

If there are people who should be compelled to act on this matter, they are the family therapists and psychiatrists. Homosexuality deserves a therapeutic attention.

Ana Maria Badua conducted an investigation in Baguio to be able to find out what social variables cause male homosexuality. The results of her study lead her to claim that "the strongest deterrent against homosexuality are cumulative and strong mascul

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