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==Research== |
==Research== |
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Bailey is well-known for a series of studies he coauthored, 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 |
Bailey is well-known for a series of studies he coauthored with Richard Pillard, 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, a problem which his later studies have attempted to remedy. |
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Following on the Bailey/Pillard work Bailey has attempted to replicate the discovery of a "[[gay gene]]" announced in [[1993]] by [[Dean Hamer]], [[Simon LeVay]], and others. Many criticized the announcements as examples of [[science by press conference]]. These findings have yet to be replicated. |
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Some of these studies have been criticized as using a self-selected sample, a problem which his later studies have attempted to remedy. |
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Bailey and several colleagues took this one step further and announced the discovery of a "[[gay gene]]", though many criticized the announcement as an example of [[science by press conference]]. |
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==Publications== |
==Publications== |
Revision as of 18:14, 15 August 2005
John Michael Bailey is a professor in the Department of Psychology at Northwestern University. He is best known for his work on homosexuality and transgenderism.
Bailey was born in Lubbock, Texas in 1957. He obtained his B.A. in Mathematics from Washington University. He obtained his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Texas, Austin, where he studied under hereditarian and eugenics researcher Lee Willerman. He became a professor at Northwestern University in 1989.
Research
Bailey is well-known for a series of studies he coauthored with Richard Pillard, 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, a problem which his later studies have attempted to remedy.
Following on the Bailey/Pillard work Bailey has attempted to replicate the discovery of a "gay gene" announced in 1993 by Dean Hamer, Simon LeVay, and others. Many criticized the announcements as examples of science by press conference. These findings have yet to be replicated.
Publications
Based on Bailey's interpretation of evolutionary psychology, homosexuality is an evolutionary mistake or paradox, and may represent "a developmental error." 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."
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, and is largely a popular science book that includes overviews of much of the research done on the topic as well as plenty of 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 parents, exhibited such behaviors. This section also discusses some case studies of men 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 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 theory due to Ray Blanchard that male to female transsexuals fall into two categories related to their reasons for a desire to transition. He also discusses the process by which this transition occurs.
In the end of the book, Bailey has personally "cured" Danny of his "disorder" by forcing Danny to conform to gender roles. Critics have pointed out the parallels with other "gay cure" narratives.
Controversy
Largely because of its third section, the book, as well as J. Michael Bailey himself, has been surrounded by a great deal of controversy. The major point of contention is Blanchard's theory of autogynephilia, which is presented favorably. This theory categorizes transsexuals into one of two types labeled homosexual and autogynephilic transsexuals.
The former term refers to biological males who desire to become female because of identification with this gender and an attraction to heterosexual males. Autogynephilia, on the other hand, refers to a condition in which a predominantly heterosexual biological male desires to transition to the female sex because of arousal at the notion of himself as a woman. The ability of these concepts to accurately describe male to female transsexuals is at the center of the debate.
While some transsexuals agree with Bailey and Blanchard, many others believe that the theory is not only inaccurate, but a reflection of anti-transsexual attitudes and a form of defamation. His prominent critics include the renowned computer scientist, Lynn Conway, and one of the subjects of his book to whom he refers by the pseudonym Cher.
Bailey's critics claim that his book presents large amounts of speculation and opinion as science. Bailey's replies to such criticisms characterize many of them as being due to "misunderstanding" of the book. Further, he claims that many of his most prominent critics have severely misrepresented his actual claims and attempted to defame him due to disagreement with some of his positions.
Many of Bailey's critics attack not only his book, but his personal integrity. Some of the subjects in his book, and several organizations accuse him of several ethical breaches in his research, including not telling people to whom he referred that they were participating in research, and unconfirmed claims that he had sex with one of his patients. He has also been variously accused of supporting anti-gay and anti-transsexual causes as well as eugenics. Bailey's philosophy regarding homosexual eugenics is most clearly laid out in his 2001 article "Parental selection of children's sexual orientation," in which he argues that parents have a fundamental right to screen for traits they find undesirable in a child, such as homosexuality. He notes that aborting a gay fetus does no harm to the fetus (who never has to experience homosexuality) and adds that "the specific enterprise of selecting for heterosexuality seems to be morally acceptable."
Less prominent controversy includes criticisms by anti-gay organizations, such as NARTH, that take issue with the book's support of the claim that homosexuality is intrinsic, and claims that it was biased against the views of those who believe that homosexuality can be altered.
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.
References
- Bailey JM (1999). Homosexuality and mental illness. Archives of General Psychiatry. 1999 Oct;56(10):883-4.
- Bailey, J. Michael (2003). The Man Who Would Be Queen: The Science of Gender-Bending and Transsexualism. Joseph Henry Press, ISBN 0-30-908418-0.
- Bailey, JM Sexual orientation revolution. Nature Genetics, 11, 353-354 (1995)
- Bailey, JM; Benishay DS. Familial aggregation of female sexual orientation. American Journal of Psychiatry, 150, 272-277 (1993)
- Bailey, JM; Miller, JS; Willerman, L. Maternally rated childhood gender nonconformity in homosexuals and heterosexuals. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 22, 461-469 (1993)
- Bailey, JM; Nothnagel, J; Wolfe, M. 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 (1995)
- Bailey, JM; Pillard, RC. A genetic study of male sexual orientation Archives of General Psychiatry, 48, 1089-1096 (1991)
- Bailey, JM; Pillard, RC. Genetics of human sexual orientation. Annual Review of Sex Research, 6, 126-150 (1995)
- Bailey, JM; Pillard, RC; Dawood, K; Miller, MB; Farrer, LA; Trivedi, S; Murphy, RL. A family history study of male sexual orientation using three independent samples Behavior Genetics, 29, 79-86 (1999)
- Bailey, JM; Pillard, RC; Neale, MC; Agyei, Y. Heritable factors influence sexual orientation in women. Archives of General Psychiatry, 50, 217-223 (1993)
- Bailey, JM; Zucker, KJ. Childhoood sex-typed behavior and sexual orientation: A conceptual analysis and quantitative review. Developmental Psychology, 31, 43-55.
- Bailey, JM; Dunne, MP; Martin, NG. 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 (2000)
- Dunne, MP; Martin, NG; Bailey, JM; Heath, AC; Bucholz, KK; Madden, PAF; Statham, DJ. Participation bias in a sexuality survey: Psychological and behavioral characteristics of responders and non-responders. International Journal of Epidemiology, 26, 844-854 (1997)
- Greenberg, AS; Bailey, JM; Do biological explanations of homosexuality have moral, legal, or policy implications? Journal of Sex Research, 30, 245-251 (1993)
- Greenberg AS, Bailey JM. "Parental selection of children's sexual orientation."Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2001 Aug;30(4):423-37.
- Rieger G, Chivers M, Bailey JM. Sexual Arousal Patterns of Bisexual Men. Psychological Science Volume 16 Issue 8 Page 579,August 2005.