Conway Letter full of misleading facts | News, Sports, Jobs – Marshall Independent
<!–
To the Editor:
On Aug. 10, a letter to the editor was published in The Marshall Independent (“Providing facts on LGBTQ”). The author, Mr. Conway, made several claims in his letter that were either misleading or factually inaccurate. I felt compelled to offer a response so the correct information was published.
First, it was written that 1.6% of the US population is homosexual. This data was reported accurately from a 2013 report from the US Department of Health and Human Services. However, in 2021 the data has changed. A Gallup survey published this year finds 5.6% of US adults identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
Second, Mr. Conway claimed 99.8% of LGBTQ teens will change their sexual orientation within 13 years. Upon reading the article he cited, the authors make no such conclusion. In fact, in the summary of the article, the authors state “same-sex attractions became more stable over time.”
Moreover, the number of people identifying as having same-sex attractions doubled during the 15 year period.
Third, came the claim that “the average homosexual has over 1,000 sexual partners over his lifetime”. This is a common lie spread online. When asked to provide a source, Mr. Conway cited a 1997 study about Australian men. Upon reading the article, the authors make no such conclusion.
Fourth, the following statistic was presented: 86% of homosexuals contract HIV after entering monogamous relationships. There are a couple of issues with this. Initially, the source Mr. Conway cited is a 2003 survey about men in Amsterdam. The data is 18 years old and from another country. But more to the point, the study does not claim what Mr. Conway suggests.
The study actually concludes when someone does get HIV, 86% of the time it is in a steady relationship…not that 86% of homosexual males get HIV after entering a steady relationship.
Fifth, there were several more claims involving the likelihood of homosexuals contracting certain ailments as compared to heterosexuals. I was unable to verify any of the statistics presented as they were not present on the CDC website that was cited.
Sixth, Mr. Conway wrote that the lifetime treatment cost of an HIV infection is estimated at $379,668 for homosexuals in the US. While this number is correct, the cost is for anyone with HIV not only for those in the LGBTQ community.
Finally, Mr. Conway is correct that anti-sodomy laws have been declared unconstituational. I do not think that is controversial or relevant, as the government does not get to control what people do in the privacy of their bedrooms regardless of sexual orientation.
While I encourage everyone to make their voices heard on matters that are important to them, we should all work to provide accurate information when having critical conversations about our community.
New source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/329708/lgbt-identifica tion-rises-latest-estimate.aspx
James Lozinski
Marshall