On International Day Against Homophobia, we would like to invite you to read this letter written by Freud to a mother who fears that her child is gay. He wrote, "There is no good thing about homosexuality, but there is nothing to be ashamed of. It is not a vice, nor is it a disease. From ancient times to the present day, many great people were gay (Plato, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, etc.). And this is a strong injustice that allows us to persecute homosexuals. If you don't believe me, read Harvey Locke Ellis's book."
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Tomorrow is International Day Against Homophobia. In 1935, psychoanalyst Freud wrote back to a mother who suspected her son of being gay. The original manuscript of this letter is included in the American Psychological Association database platform (APA PsycNET) and Wikisource.
Although, Freud's concept nearly a hundred years ago is still a bit different from today. For example, according to the 2018 Ministry of Health and Welfare letter, any sexual orientation reversal treatment is a prohibited medical act. However, although some of the terms are different from the background of the times, what he wants to convey is that regardless of sexual orientation, it does not affect an individual's behavior and values.
Today, we can still re-read this reply letter from a historical perspective.
Freud: Comrades are not a disease, please don't worry, this mother
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In the manuscript, known as the "1935 Letter," Freud wrote:
I judge from the letter that your child should be a gay person. I am surprised that you did not use this word to describe your child. I'm curious, why don't you describe your child like that? There is no benefit to being gay, but there is nothing to be ashamed of. It is not a vice, nor a degradation, nor is it a disease. We believe that it is a kind of sexual diversity that develops. From ancient times to the present day, there were many great people who were gay (Plato, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, etc.). This is a strong injustice that makes it a crime to persecute homosexuality. If you don't believe me, you can read Harvey Locke Ellis's book.
If you want to ask me if I can help, I guess you want me to undermine (abolish) homosexuality and make the child a normal heterosexual. My answer is that under normal circumstances, we cannot commit to doing this. In some specific cases, we do develop heterosexual tendencies among homosexuals. But in the vast majority of cases, this is not possible. This also involves the fact that each individual's situation and age are different. The results of these therapies are difficult to predict. (Extended reading: In response to "former comrade" David Guo, founder of the American correctional gay organization apologizes for "healing is fake")
What psychoanalysis is able to offer your son is a different approach. If he is unhappy, nervous, torn apart by conflict, and inhibits his social life, psychoanalysis may provide him with peace and harmony, whether he is gay or heterosexual. If you make up your mind to let your child come with me for treatment—although I don't think you will agree—he must come to Vienna. Because I have no plans to leave here recently. Anyway, please let me know your answer.
Freud
P.S.
I don't think your handwritten letter will be difficult to read. I also hope that you will not dislike my sloppy handwriting or difficult English grammar.
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