J. Michael Bailey

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John Michael Bailey (born 2 July 1957 in Lubbock, Texas) is an American psychology professor, best known for his controversial work on homosexuality, bisexuality and transsexualism.

Bailey obtained his B.A. in Mathematics from Washington University in 1979 and his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Texas, Austin in 1989, where he studied under behavior genetics researcher Lee Willerman. He became a professor at Northwestern University in 1989.

In the 1990s, Bailey published several studies that suggested a heritable component for sexual orientation. Following the 2003 publication of Bailey's book The Man Who Would Be Queen, Northwestern University opened a formal investigation into charges of research misconduct against Bailey. [1] In late 2004, Bailey resigned his Psychology Department Chair following the completion of the investigation. The university refused to reveal its findings or say whether it punished Bailey, and he still serves as a professor there. [2]

Contents

[edit] Research and publications

Bailey is well-known for research involving biology and sexual orientation. In the early 1990s he coauthored with Richard Pillard a series of twin studies which examined the rate of concordance of sexual identity among monozygotic twins, dizygotic twins of the same sex, non-twin siblings of the same sex, and adoptive siblings of the same sex. In all studies they found rates of concordance variantly consistent with the hypothesis that homosexuality has a significant genetic component.

The Council for Responsible Genetics and other researchers have criticized this work for using a self-selected sample [3] , a problem which his later studies have attempted to remedy.

Bailey has also attempted to replicate a 1993 finding by Dean Hamer claiming to have discovered a "gay gene." Many criticized Hamer's initial announcements as examples of science by press conference. These findings have yet to be replicated.

Based on Bailey's interpretation of evolutionary psychology, homosexuality is an evolutionary mistake or paradox, and may represent "a developmental error." [4] He has linked homosexuality to higher levels of psychopathology and has suggested that aborting a fetus after fetal screening for sexual orientation is "morally acceptable." [5]

[edit] The Man Who Would Be Queen

Main article: The Man Who Would Be Queen

In 2003, Bailey published The Man Who Would Be Queen: The Science of Gender-Bending and Transsexualism. This book deals with a variety of gay- and transgender-related topics in a popular science style, summarizing research done on the topic that supports Bailey's opinions. The book is divided into three sections: The Boy Who Would Be Princess, The Man He Might Become, and Women Who Once Were Boys.

The first section deals with young boys considered to have a psychological condition referred to as gender identity disorder (GID). This term is used to describe patients, usually children, who exhibit a large amount of salient gender-atypical behavior such as cross-dressing, boys preferring to play with dolls, identification with female characters in stories or movies. He relates this through a scenario about a boy named "Danny" who, according to his mother, exhibited such behaviors. This section also discusses some case studies of boys who were, for varying reasons, reassigned to the female sex shortly after their birth, and emphasizes the fact that, despite this, they tended to exhibit typically male characteristics and often a desire to identify as a male. The most prominent of these men being David Reimer who lost his penis at an early age and whom psychologist John Money futilely attempted over a number of years to socialize as a female.

The second section deals primarily with homosexual men, including a suggested link between GID and male homosexuality later in life due largely to the research of Richard Green. In particular, he discusses whether homosexuality is a congenitally or possibly even genetically related phenomenon. This includes references to his studies as well as those of Simon LeVay and Dean Hamer. He also discusses the behavior of gay men and its typically masculine and feminine qualities.

The third section is primarily about male to female transsexualism and has spurred much controversy surrounding the book and its author. In this section, Bailey propounds a behavioral model due to Ray Blanchard that male to female transsexuals fall into two categories related to their reasons for a desire to transition. (Compare autogynephilia for a discussion of this theory.) He also discusses the process by which this transition occurs. By the end of the book, Bailey recommendations to Danny's mother have "cured" Danny of his "disorder" by forcing Danny to conform to gender roles. Critics have pointed out the parallels with other "gay cure" narratives, as well as parallels with the success reported by John Money in "treating" David Reimer (later proven to be academic fraud).

The book led to a heated debate and a formal investigation into Bailey's research practices. It also led to a heated debate within the field of sexology, where the book was lauded by Bailey's academic collaborators, but denounced by the vast majority of scientists working in this field, who deemed it "reductionism" and "not science." [6]This controversy was also the reason Ray Blanchard left the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association. Bailey's defenders, including noted researcher Steven Pinker, have stated that they believe the attacks on him constitute an academic witch hunt, instituted by scholars associated with the liberal Southern Poverty Law Center who reject any research in the etiology of homosexuality on political grounds.[7]

In 2004, the book was announced as a finalist in the Transgender category of the 2003 Lambda Literary Awards. Ultimately the Lambda Literary Foundation withdrew The Man Who Would Be Queen from consideration for the award [8] and fired their executive director. [9]

[edit] Sexual Arousal Patterns of Bisexual Men

Bailey once again stirred controversy in 2005 as senior author of a study which claimed male bisexuality does not exist, based on results of controversial penile plethysmograph testing. [10] The testing found that of men who identified as bisexual, 75 per cent were only aroused by homosexual imagery, and 25 per cent were only aroused by heterosexual imagery. The study received wide attention after a New York Times piece on the study that coincided with the opening of the 2005 International Academy of Sex Research convention. [11] That piece, titled "Gay Straight or Lying: Bisexuality Revisited" took an oft-repeated phrase Bailey uses to claim that male bisexuals are "lying." [12] The article and study were criticized by LBGT groups [13] and by FAIR [14]; noted transsexual Lynn Conway stated that the research "attacks the identities of yet another sexual minority group." [15]

Critics argued the sample size was relatively small, consisting of only one hundred (100) men. Also all of these subjects were "self-selected", from ads placed in LGBT and "alternative" publications. Then the researchers had to disregard results of thirty-five percent (35%) of this population, as non-responders. Others criticized the entire premise of the study, that in men arousal in response to pornographic stimulus equals orientation. Dr. Fritz Klein, a sex researcher and the author of The Bisexual Option explains, "social and emotional attraction are very important elements in bisexual attraction." [11] Others argued that measuring genital arousal to two minute sequences of pornographic gay or lesbian films, is a crude and inaccurate measure, which could be easily influenced by external factors such as discomfort with the research process itself.[citation needed]

No academic agency has provided resources in an effort to either replicate the study or to put together a more rigorous testing protocol.[citation needed]

[edit] Responses

Following an appearance by Bailey on CBS 60 Minutes [16], The Advocate reported, "Bailey’s insistence on his authority in defining what does and doesn’t qualify as gay and his dedication to discovering a 'cause' for gayness is only temperamentally different from those who insist on finding a 'cure.'" [17]

In 2006, the Chicago Free Press announced it would no longer accept ads for studies conducted by Bailey. In an editorial entitled "Bad Science," the newspaper said would not allow itself to be used "to further the dubious agenda of someone who believes he should not be held accountable to our community." [18]The Free Press editor told Editor & Publisher that an e-mail blast to a listserv from Bailey himself was the source of most letters protesting the decision. [19] Gay journalist Jim D'Entremont countered that "Bailey's critics follow the familiar patterns of ideologues seeking to discredit scientists whose findings they deem politically wrong." [20]

In December, 2006, Bailey controversially suggested that selecting the sexual orientation of one's offspring would be beneficial because it, "would further a parent’s freedom to raise the sort of children they want to raise.” [21]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Becker, Robert (November 18, 2003). NU investigates charges over book. Chicago Tribune
  2. ^ Wilson, Robin (12/10/2004). Northwestern U. Will Not Reveal Results of Investigation Into Sex Researcher. Chronicle of Higher Education
  3. ^ Do genes determine if we are lesbian, bisexual, gay, or straight? Position Paper by The Council for Responsible Genetics. Retrieved July 24, 2006.
  4. ^ Bailey JM. Homosexuality and mental illness. Archives of General Psychiatry. 1999 Oct;56(10):883-4.
  5. ^ Greenberg AS, Bailey JM (2001). Parental selection of children's sexual orientation. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2001 Aug;30(4):423-37.
  6. ^ Bockting WO (August 1, 2005). Biological reductionism meets gender diversity in human sexuality. The Journal of Sex Research
  7. ^ Wilson, Robin (June 20, 2003). Dr. Sex. Chronicle of Higher Education.
  8. ^ Letellier, Patrick (March 16, 2004) Group rescinds honor for disputed book. PlanetOut
  9. ^ Schwartz Nomi Lambda Literary Foundation Announces Major Changes. American Booksellers Association News
  10. ^ Rieger G, Chivers M, Bailey JM (2005). Sexual Arousal Patterns of Bisexual Men. Psychological Science Volume 16 Issue 8 Page 579, August 2005.
  11. ^ a b Carey, Benedict (July 5, 2005). Straight, Gay or Lying? Bisexuality Revisited. New York Times.
  12. ^ The phrase was used in 2003 publicity for Bailey's book in the publisher's online promotional materials, and in the book itself on pages 96 and 133.
  13. ^ National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (July 2005). The Problems with "Gay, Straight, or Lying?" (PDF) Retrieved July 24, 2006.
  14. ^ FAIR (July 8, 2005). New York Times Suggests Bisexuals Are "Lying": Paper fails to disclose study author's controversial history.
  15. ^ Conway, Lynn (July 6, 2005). J. Michael Bailey attacks the identities of yet another sexual minority group. via LynnConway.com. Retrieved July 24, 2006.
  16. ^ Stahl, Lesley (March 12, 2006). The Science of Sexual Orientation. 60 Minutes
  17. ^ Ehrenstein, David (April 6, 2006). Kinder, gentler homophobia. The Advocate
  18. ^ Staff editorial (August 9, 2006). "Bad Science." Chicago Free Press
  19. ^ Fitzgerald, mark (August 15, 2006). Chicago Gay Paper Nixes Ad From Controversial Sex Researcher. Editor & Publisher
  20. ^ D'Entremont, Jim (October 2006). Political Science. The Guide
  21. ^ Science told: hands off gay sheep Times Online (UK)

[edit] Selected bibliography

  • Bailey JM, Pillard RC (1991). A genetic study of male sexual orientation. Archives of General Psychiatry, 48, 1089-1096.
  • Bailey JM , Benishay DS (1993). Familial aggregation of female sexual orientation. American Journal of Psychiatry, 150, 272-277.
  • Bailey JM, Miller JS, Willerman L (1993). Maternally rated childhood gender nonconformity in homosexuals and heterosexuals. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 22, 461-469.
  • Bailey JM, Pillard RC, Neale MC, Agyei Y (1993). Heritable factors influence sexual orientation in women. Archives of General Psychiatry, 50, 217-223.
  • Greenberg AS, Bailey JM (1993). Do biological explanations of homosexuality have moral, legal, or policy implications? Journal of Sex Research, 30, 245-251.
  • Bailey JM, Zucker KJ (1995). Childhoood sex-typed behavior and sexual orientation: A conceptual analysis and quantitative review. Developmental Psychology, 31, 43-55.
  • Bailey JM, Nothnagel J, Wolfe, M (1995). Retrospectively measured individual differences in childhood sex-typed behavior among gay men: Correspondence between self- and maternal reports. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 24, 613-622.
  • Bailey JM, Pillard, RC (1995). Genetics of human sexual orientation. Annual Review of Sex Research, 6, 126-150.
  • Bailey JM (1995). Sexual orientation revolution. Nature Genetics, 11, 353-354.
  • Dunne MP, Martin NG, Bailey JM, Heath AC, Bucholz KK, Madden PAF, Statham DJ (1997). Participation bias in a sexuality survey: Psychological and behavioral characteristics of responders and non-responders. International Journal of Epidemiology, 26, 844-854.
  • Bailey JM (1999). Homosexuality and mental illness. Archives of General Psychiatry. Oct;56(10):883-4.
  • Bailey JM, Pillard RC, Dawood K, Miller MB, Farrer LA, Trivedi S, Murphy RL (1999). A family history study of male sexual orientation using three independent samples. Behavior Genetics, 29, 79-86.
  • Bailey JM, Dunne MP, Martin NG (2000). Genetic and Environmental Influences Sexual Orientation and Its Correlates in an Australian Twin Sample: Personality Processes and Individual Differences. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78, 524-536.
  • Bailey JM (2003). The Man Who Would Be Queen: The Science of Gender-Bending and Transsexualism. Joseph Henry Press, ISBN 0-309-08418-0.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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