The Fallow Brow

The following is an excerpt from the JUNE, 1968 edition of CITATION (The Northern Territory Police Magazine) pages 20-21 on the dangers of homosexuality.

The one thing I know for sure from reading this is that Detective Superintendent F. A. Gordon was a closeted homosexual.  It’s amazing how far societal attitudes have both changed and remained the same in the last 44 years.  It’s also interesting to compare Mr. Princess Gordons’ arguments to the ones being used by the modern bigots opposing same-sex marriage. Some people just refuse to admit they’re wrong and move on.

The full issue of CITATION from which this is taken can be found online RIGHT HERE

Homosexuality and its Dangers – A New Zealand View

By
 F. A. GORDON
 Detective Superintendent

We live in a community wherein a citizen is entitled to hold and to voice opinions, and some citizens will go to extraordinary lengths to voice theirs and at the same time resent others giving opinions that oppose or do not wholly coincide with theirs.

As Policemen we, too, can have our opinions, although we don’t often get an opportunity of expressing them; and I must make it clear that any opinions I express are mine and not officially those of the Police Department. I doubt if any serving Police Officer will disagree, with anything I say, or opinion I express, on the subject that follows.

The daily Press of 18 April last, under the heading “Sex Law Change Advocated”, published an account of a meeting held in Wellington, N,Z. A motion passed indicates that those present believe that the present law regarding homosexuality does not serve the best interests of the community, and they apparently subscribe to the view that homosexual activities between consenting males should no longer be a criminal offence.

In other words, these people would like homosexuality made lawful. The green light for perverts? There is one section of the community that would greet this item with joy, and a minority section at that – the homosexuals themselves. No person in possession of proper knowledge of the dangers and potentiality of homosexuality would support any relaxation in the laws that outlaw the sexual deviate. Why risk subjecting our youth of tomorrow to such degradation in a world already beset with more than sufficient other dangers? Have you thought what would happen if homosexuality became an accepted cult in society?

Do we want our cities overrun with pimps, ponces, pansies, pussyfoots and perverts? A nation of queers? No man of character, no parent, would wish for the pollution of youth, because if homosexuality were allowed, or made legal, condoned or encouraged (as apparently some would like to see), the danger would be as disastrous as a hydrogen bomb.

We know there are unfortunates who for some reason, medical or otherwise, have latent homosexual tendencies and characteristics. They are an unfortunate minority who fortunately are able to obtain some form of treatment, medical or otherwise, for their malady. We hear little of them and under the existing laws they can do no harm. They can be helped and treated and so long as they molest nobody, nobody, including themselves, can take offence. In other words this type of person who is a non-offending homosexual is harmless and can be helped by treatment if he so desires,

But surely our moral image deserves protection from the pervert whose depravaties revolt all normal standards of common decency. Is he to receive an open licence to practise and spread his depradations as he pleases and as he would prefer? I say no.

I hesitate to think what the effects of legalizing homosexuality would be. What is today regarded by decent-minded people as sordid, abhorrent and repulsive, and spoken of with caution and with much distaste, would suddenly become open and blatant. The homosexual in the pervert class would realize that he no longer has any fear of the law and would feel that he and his perversions have an accepted place in society.

To suggest that the perversions would remain exclusively to consenting males in private is utter nonsense. Today, with the law sufficient to keep their activities more or less in check, it does not prevent the pervert from occasionally operating in public and offending the innocent. So what must we expect if he obtains a licence to practise his wares openly?

What of the male prostitute? Don’t tell ,me there are no such creatures, because we know there are. As the law stands, we can cope with them, and he takes pains to hide his practice. But make homosexuality legal and the male prostitute would be in his element – open and unashamed. There would be nothing to stop him from practising male prostitution as the law defines a prostitute as a woman who permits her body to be given for gain. The male version would therefore be exempt. Would you prefer this? One could well ask why discriminate against the common prostitute – why allow male prostitution and not common prostitution?

I don’t intend to advocate prostitution as such, but if we were to carefully sift all the objections, all the dangers and all the moral issues that must be considered, I venture to say that there would be less evil in the common prostitute than in the condoning of male prostitution that legalized homosexuality would bring. Why not treat both the same and retain our moral standards by outlawing both?

Those people who advocate the relaxation of the law that makes homosexual acts criminal, should tread with care. It is known that active homosexuals would like to have their activities acceptable to others, and they present for themselves a coloured picture that tends to deceive those who have not bothered to check and investigate the dangers involved.

The homosexual can choose for himself whether he indulges in criminal activities. He, like any normal person, can seek medical advice and treatment. He can also exercise self-control, self-discipline and self-respect just as can the heterosexual, and he can live in society without resorting to criminal acts if he chooses. The decision is his. It is society as a whole that should be considered, not the homosexual at the expense of society and the damnation of tomorrow’s youth.

Homosexuality can lead to other forms of criminal activity. The pervert by the very nature of his degrading mind is prone to mix with anti-social people and this forms a nucleus of the criminal element. Drugs and homosexuality are a common companion. If we are to allow the homosexual special privileges and legalize his activities, why not also remove all restriction on drugs like marijuana, heroin and opium? Each presents damnation to our youth so if one is relaxed, why not both? To go even further, for instance, to champion the cause of a safe blower would be less likely to pollute our way of life. It would be just as ridiculous to make rape legal, to allow robberies, to repeal the law making it a crime to have sexual relations with girls under sixteen. Would you like that? It would be no worse than legalized homosexuality with its perverts, its pimps, its ponces, its pansies and its pussyfoots.

Well, there you have it. Everything old is new again.