Demythologizing the Kinsey Reports

By Sister Renee Mirkes, O.S.F.

though the 50th anniversary 2003) of the IUnsey Reports KRs) received modest atten­ tion from the news media, I assure you that the folks at the Kinsey Institute, their friends and supporters, were pub­ licly toasting their founder's sociologi­ cal triumphs. They understood why this commemoration deserved a Page I, above-the-fold spot. And, truth to tell, they were dead right. After all, it was only 50 years ago that Alfred C. IUnsey launched a cul­ ture war that has been decisive in advancing major, hard-to-win behav­ ioral and social changes - and in record time, to boot. Protestations of scholarly objectivity notwithstanding, Alfred Kinsey the simple fact is that the implicit social propaganda that permeates IUnsey's 10 I," the legal/political movement that "Sexual Behavior in the Human Male," would define same-sex unions as mar­ published in 1948, and "Sexual riage, the Supreme Court decision Behavior in the Human Female," (Lawrence et at. vs. Texas) that would released five years later - the ethics of find no state interest in protecting sexu­ tolerance and sexual liberation - has al values - all could, if they wanted, been instrumental in changing the sexu­ point to professor Kinsey and his sex al behavior and milieu of millions of studies for their "scientific" validity. Americans. The Catholic response? Demytholo­ As a scientific reference point, the gizing, not hand-wringing, should be KRs provide legitimacy for every sort of the order of the day. For, only until we contemporary "sexual athlete": Playboy intelligently challenge at least some of hedonist, exhibitionist, voyeurist, pedo­ the IUnseyan myths - those uncritical­ phile, transvestite, fetishist of every ly accepted beliefs that ground the KRs stripe. Similarly, our so-called absti­ - will we be able to thwart their contin­ nence-based public sex-education pro­ ued domestication and to expose their grams that even the kids dub "Porn errors.

44/THE CATHOLIC ANSWER Myth #1: The raw scientific data of the are involved in so many varied, "non­ Reports which argues that the studies people's sexual attitudes and mores Kinsey Reports constitute a definitive traditional" kinds of sexual behavior are more unrepresentative of human change very slowly. He was confident, authority regarding sexual behavior. with so much sexual satisfaction, such sexual behavior than they are represen­ however, that once people had the What should not escape our notice activity cannot be as bad for human tative. The fust Report doesn't describe Kinsey Report "facts," the sexual is how, from authors to reviewers, all beings and society as legal and religious the sexual behavior of the average male changes already in the air would even­ seem to faJJ into the habit of reveren­ norms have formerly duped them into as the study's title implies. It records tually seem irrefutable and irreversible. tially writing about either of the Kinsey believing. To disprove this myth is to the experiences of only 5,300 No matter how many times Kinsey Reports as "the Report." In the written demonstrate why the alleged authority Caucasian, middle-class, college-educat­ feigned the objectivity of being nothing context, the capital "R" subtly dictates of the Reports is far from conclusive or ed, under-35-years-of-age American other than a counter and a classifier - that the reader, at least subconsciously, definitive. Two questions are pertinent males, many of whom were chosen the study reported "what people do," acknowledge the singular importance How scientifically rigorous are the because their sexual lifestyles con­ raising "no question of what they and scientific authority of these stud­ Kinsey Reports? Are they a truly defin­ formed to the Kinseyan pansexual, the­ should do" - it just ain't so. His data ies. (Similarly, look at how, of all the itive account of male and female sexual more-the-merrier, schematic. Similarly, are a thinly veiled polemic. The real piUs in the world, the capital-p "Pill" behavior? the second Report is far from represen­ Kinsey, then, was a supremely confi­ refers only to that most famous of pills, One critic's assessment of the tative of sexual behavior among average dent scientific observer turned philoso­ the oral contraceptive.) Reports summarily answers the ques­ females. Only 6,000 American, female pher/social engineer, says Jones. What To read the Reports is, in effect, to tion of scientific rigor. Kinsey's field­ volunteers were interviewed, most of got this sexual taxonomist out of bed in hear Kinsey and his associates cry: workers, Philip J. Pauly points out in whom were "frustrated, neurotic, out­ the morning and kept him burning the "Pure Science!" and "Raw Scientific "Biologists and the Promise of casts of society," according to James H. lab lights long into the night was his Data!" with every turn of the page. This American Life" (1997), "had traveled Jones in "Alfred C. Kinsey: A goal of a sexual utopia, the end of edu­ studied effect- science is the defmitive the countryside, opportunistically inter­ Public/Private Life" ( 1997). cating Americans "to think of sexuality authority on sexuality - lies in the viewing idiosyncratic populations As a result, the studies' methodology as fundamentally a biological issue," authors' hope that their awestruck about unverifiable, often long-past and sampling techniques can hardly be according to Pauly. readers will genuflect before this latest events, and then shoehorned responses characterized as scientifically rigorous Against this backdrop, Kinsey had a manifestation of the "science god." into a biological framework whose or "pure." Examples are instructive. definite preference for homosexuality Kinsey et al. unquestionably trust that intellectual limitations were papered Kinsey purposefully dedicated more and pansexuality, and he defmitely was as each table, chart or graph quantita­ over by the quantity of data." pages in his book to homosexual behav­ of a mind to shape the average tively (and mechanically) describes In other words, their lack of scientif­ ior than he did to that of married per­ American's preference in that image. every intimate aspect of what, for the ic rigor is rooted in the fact that the sons. Furthermore, the manner in Along with other sex biologists of the most part, was formerly considered Kinsey Reports were, at base, a social which he conducted the Reports virtu­ early 20th century, Kinsey was fully taboo sexual behavior, the reader will survey with all the subjective factors ally guaranteed that Kinsey would fmd aware that, with persistent effort, sci­ ever more surely conclude that, at last, that infect "the collection, tabulation, what he was looking for - namely, nat­ ence could have a major impact on sex­ this granddaddy of all scientific studies and analysis of responses to a ques­ ural (normal), robust sex for American ual thinking and behavior within the is just that definitive. tionnaire." How reliable, for instance, adults is best defmed as "variety" sex. larger movement of the "modernization With 6,000 case studies recounting is the response of Kinsey's record-keep­ This thinking touts that the normal of sex." In other words, these highly male sexual behavior and 5,300 cases ing pedophile that the children he vic­ American will (and should) find release influential, intellectual elitists - crypto­ recounting female sexual activity, how tirnized derived "definite pleasure from in as many outlets - self, heterosexuals, reformers all - recognized, but would could any unsuspecting reader of the the situation [of molestation]?" As homosexuals, children, adolescents and never publicly admit, the lesson that Kinsey Reports not be bowled over by Pauly noted, "Looking to sexual moles­ animals - and with as much frequency social scientists learned long before: the sheer force of numbers? And, by ters for information on childhood sexu­ as his or her sexual milieu will allow. Science and its so-called raw data have ever so subtly leading the reader to req­ ality is like drawing conclusions on the the power to manipulate, adjust and uisite attitudinal changes, Kinsey and sexuality of adult females from the tes­ Myth #2: The Kinsey Reports represent abrogate both sexual mores and sex­ his associates were betting the farm timony of rapists." morally agnostic science: Their data offender laws. that members of their audience would And, as to the defmitive nature of merely describe sexual behavior; they do So, when Kinsey reported that 92 be tempted to a non-sequitur kind of the Reports' data, I defer to a repeated not, nor will not, judge it. percent of American males and 62 per­ reasoning. If so many successful people (and valid) criticism of the Kinsey Kinsey was right about one thing: cent of American females masturbated,

46/THE CATHOLIC ANSWER THE ClTHOUC ANSWER/ 47 he was very much hoping that the read­ instrumental in putting the mantle of It has nothing whatever to do with giv­ cal and physiological; one's sexual life er would think: "Well, then, why should scientific legitimacy around various ing of self and receiving the other as a has no connection with one's emotional I feel shame about doing so?" And, strains of the revolution, such as the gift. Since, for Kinsey, sex has nothing or social life. when he reported that "half or more of women's movement. If there is one aim to do with love, it would have been The best way to demythologize this the boys in an uninhibited society could of Margaret Sanger and her latter-day completely out of character for him to sort of opinion about the nature of sex­ reach climax by the time they were disciples to which Kinsey was also see sex in procreative terms - that is, to ual experience is to ask reasonable peo­ three or four years of age, and that near­ attached, it was that of affording (genet­ see life as the culminating manifesta­ ple (those who can get out from under ly aU of them could experience such a ically superior) women the way and the tion of love. It should come as no sur­ the likes of Kinseyan propaganda) to climax three to five years before the right to decide if and when they got prise, then, when the male volume reflect on their own experience of sexu­ onset of adolescence," and all with the pregnant and whether, once pregnant, indexes the topic of pregnancy (and, by ality. Wouldn't thoughtful people rec­ hope for greater sexual and mental they would elect to stay that way. extension, procreation), it does so ognize that their sexuality is something health, he intended that the upbeat nov­ Promoting these ends, though out of under the category, "fear of." essential to who they are, inexorably elty of this bit of data would encourage a completely hedonistic motivation, it connected to the personal - to human the reader to propose, "Well, then, let comes as no surprise that Kinsey kept a Myth #4: Because human sexual data situations, aspirations and human - the inhibitions fall! " And Kinsey's close eye on the research of Gregory comprise merely physica/facts, the whole and, therefore, to something that can­ fanatical focus on orgasm - reducing Pincus, which culminated in the easy of human sexual experience is anatomi- not be reduced to biology only? sex to the physiological only, was a bril­ availability of the Pill in the 1960s. liant move, given his objectives. Not Kinsey and his minions were painfully only did it go a long way to realizing his aware that their vision of societal recon­ goal of upsetting traditional mores, but struction would be stymied until anti­ it also took the mystery out of human dotes for the two nonreligious fears that sexuality altogether. kept people from frequent and diverse I agree with Lionel Trilling who, in sexual activity- infection and pregnan­ his 1948 review of the male volume, cy - were found. The antibiotic allevi­ argued that Kinsey would have been ated the fear of syphilis and other sexu­ ahead of the game and could have ally transmitted diseases; the oral con­ sought intellectual safety and credibility traceptive provided a cure for the preg­ in "straightforwardly admitting that nancy inhibition. subjectivity was bound to appear [in More importantly, the Pill, in a the Reports] and inviting the reader to much more efficient way than the con­ be on the watch for it" ("The Moral dom, severed the natural connection Obligation to be Intelligent: Selected between sex and procreation that reli­ Essays," edited by Leon Wieseltier, gion and traditional moraHty taught are 2000). inextricably linked. The principal rea­ son that the possibility of Lifeless sex Myth 1#3: Human sexuality has no con­ interested Kinsey was a psycho-socio­ nection with procreation. logical one: the oral contraceptive Although in the preface to "Sexual helped to rearrange the mental furni­ Behavior of the Human Male," Dr. ture inside women's minds, encourag­ Alan Gregg refers to sexuality as "the ing them to view their bodies and their reproductive instinct," in the body of fertility as men do. the study, Kinsey avoids sexuality's We need to keep in mind that, given connection to propagation like the Kinsey's completely materiaUstic phi­ plague. Kinsey did not single-handedly losophy of sex, "having sex" is a usher in the sexual revolution that came mechanical response to physical stim­ of age in the 1960s. He was, however, uli for a narcissistic release of tension.

48/THE CAJHOUC ANSWER THE CATHOUC ANSWER/ 49 Perhaps, because of a growing legalize) homosexuality focused on ani­ female no longer has the sexual period­ midget to refrain from sexually harmful mechanical view of life, readers are mals - dogs, sheep, cattle, white rats icity common to animals? behavior solely out of fear of divine or incapable of inserting Kinsey's mathe­ and monkeys - all of which exhibited ecclesial reprisal (one of IGnsey's matical account of sexual experience same-sex coupling. Since homosexuality Myth #6: Many or most sexually aber­ objections) as he would be to engage in back into the human situation and was a common - that is, natural - rant people are mentally and socially that same kind of behavior on the human life from which they were behavior among mammals, and the healthy. encouraging word of sexual libertines abstracted. Whatever the case, most human being was a mammal, homosex­ Kinsey was shrewd. Take his choice (one of Kinsey's hopes)? reasonable people intuitively reject the uality, Kinsey concluded, is natural for of male case studies, for example. Their Here's another way to adjudicate intellectually deficient idea that sex is the human being (or, in Kinsey's terms, collective cachet is "college-trained," as whether frequency and variety of sexual nothing more than the quantitative the human animal). in "professional," and Kinsey would experiences do a well-adjusted male or measurement of its physiological Kinsey's argument de animalibus like you to infer "successful," and female make. Is it not reasonable to aspects. would be valid if the human mammal Kinsey would like you to imagine "well suggest that the cause of an adolescen­ was a mammal in the same way that, adjusted and normal as that next-door t's frequent acts of masturbatory sex Mytb #5: Animal sexual behavior is the say, the higher primates are animals. neighbor you like so much." But as could just as well be an expression of standard for what is natural in human But as a modicum of self-examination everyone knows, appearances are often anxiety, loneliness or a poor self-con­ sexual activity; human sexual behavior proves, the human animal is the only deceptive. Kinsey was enamored of cept than, as Kinsey would argue, an that conforms to natural animal behav­ mammal who is a person, a creature "Mr. X," the male interviewee whose expression of a robust sexual desire? ior is normal. whose body reveals a metaphysical sexual tastes evidently included, but Could the frequency of sodomistic, Of all the aberrant sexual behavior interior of intelligent freedom. Only the were not limited to, sex with children. adulterous or pedophilic sex be caused for which Kinsey wanted broadened human being has, first, the intelligence Kinsey even went so far as to acknowl­ not so much, as Kinsey would aver, by social acceptance, homosexuality was to understand why the indulgence of edge publicly his regret at not being a healthy need for sexual expression as at the top of the list. Given his own sex­ one's homosexual desires would be an able to thank him by name (pedophilia by a compulsion arising from psycho­ ual proclivities, Kinsey's priority makes unreasonable thing to do, why it would was and is a punishable offense). So logical immaturity and an unhealthy sense. Although he did not exhibit an fail to bring oneself and one's partner Kinsey must have reasoned that if addiction to sex? attraction for sex with children, ani­ to sexual fulfillment. And, second, only enough people read about a pedophile I would suggest that to the extent mals or other people's wives, Kinsey the human mammal has a will to who was a college-trained professional, that the anthropological and moral was intent on satisfying his own homo­ choose freely against pursuit of genital more and more would come around to bankruptcy of the Kinseyan worldview sexual desires. And he was adamant in sexual relations with a same-sex partner espousing one of his lynchpin princi­ is exposed, to that same extent will the making sure that the world knew that precisely because it is unreasonable - ples: The "natural man," the sexually power of Catholic sexual teaching to his (or others') guilt feelings about sat­ that is, unable to bring either self or the robust, healthy male or female, Jones correct, enhance and inspire be mani­ isfying these ~natural " and "harmless" other to genuine human happiness. wrote, ought to "commence sexual fest. Demythologizing the Kinsey appetites were the logical ill effect of A postscript. Another weakness of activity early in life, enjoy intercourse Reports, then, is absolutely essential for religiously induced sexual repression. Kinsey's "scientific" argument de ani­ with both sexes, eschew fidelity, the Catholic effort to stem the humanly One of his male research associates ma/ibus is that, taken to its logical con­ indulge in a variety of behaviors, and be destructive tide of the sexual revolu­ admits that he and Kinsey had sex "for clusions, it contradicts his Epicurean much more sexually active in general tion.+ the sake of their research" on a regular sensibilities. Would it not be incongru­ for life." His critics proved that thoughtful basis (see "Alfred C. Kinsey: A ous for "the more-the-merrier" Kinsey ABOUT THE AUTHOR Public/Private Life," Page 603). to preach that, since it is natural for people - at least initially - did not fall Kinsey was astute enough to know other male mammals (like dogs) to into line as Kinsey had hoped. The fronciS(on Sister Renee Mirkes is what his "mind-bending" work was up have sex only when the female dog is in "more-the-merrier" and "the more-the­ ethics director of the Pope Poul VI against. He had to disprove what many heat, the most natural thing for human healthier" prescriptions for a naturally Institute in Omoho, Neh. of his day believed: that genital contact mammals would also be to limit their robust sex life just struck a lot of his between persons of the same sex was intercourse to the time when the readers as so much Enlightenment, unnatural and therefore immoral. And, female human mammal is fertile? And, progessivist bunk. I suspect many a like Havelock Ellis before him, furthermore, is a woman's sexuality any reader reasoned that he would be as Kinsey's argument to normalize (and less natural just because the human much of an intellectual and moral

50/THE CATHOLIC ANSWER THE CATHOLIC ANSWER/ 51