Tony Perkins: Gay Teens Resort To 'Depression Or Suicide' Because They Know They're 'Abnormal'

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins recently gave an unsympathetic diagnosis for the recent surge in teen suicides caused anti-gay bullying: they resort to extreme measures because they're battling with the internal understanding that homosexuality is, in fact, "abnormal."

Speaking with NPR for a piece about how religious movements fit into the anti-gay bullying equation, Perkins's analysis of the situation appeared the least forgiving.

Perkins told NPR that gay rights groups were exploiting the concern over anti-LGBT bigotry to build momentum for their movement, an argument that he has made before.

"There's no correlation between inacceptance of homosexuality and depression and suicide," Perkins told NPR.

Here's how Perkins explained the issue:

"These young people who identify as gay or lesbian, we know from the social science that they have a higher propensity to depression or suicide because of that internal conflict," he says.

Homosexuality is "abnormal," he says, and kids know it, which leads them to despair. That's why he wants to confront gay activism in public schools. For example, his group supports the Day of Truth, when Christian high-schoolers make their case that homosexuality is a sin.

Tony Perkins was given a platform to make a similarly uncompassionate polemic in the Washington Post earlier this month, on National Coming Out Day, no less. The paper later explained, over Twitter, that the editorial was their attempt to "cover both sides" of the debate.

Comments

[StThomas]

07:13 PM on 11/25/2010

What a complete See-You-Next-Tuesday

[Larry Lane]

05:37 PM on 11/25/2010

This is the reason why Family Research Council is a Hate Group

[Grada3784]

03:26 PM on 11/14/2010

Then why hasn't Perkins done it yet?

[charles116]

08:03 PM on 11/25/2010

Believe me, he's done 'it'.

[Bill Nedra Bill]

05:32 PM on 11/02/2010

Is he aware of the many reports of gay teens and adults who have gone through conversion therapy? If being gay is abnormal and these kids are just killing themselves to escape their abnormality, what is the need for his organization? How many lives have his organization saved? So far, it is accepted that bullying and anti-gay movements are the main reasons why gay teens commit suicide. Since he is so sure that the issue of gay teen suicide has nothing to do with people like him, is he willing to put a gag order on himself and his anti-gay movement for a year and see how many gay teens become depressed and commit suicide?

[LiberalOutlaw]

06:23 PM on 10/31/2010

Some would say that talking to an invisibly sky fairy on a regular basis is abnormal.

[Tokie]

11:16 AM on 10/29/2010

Since H P censored my previous remarks... Tony Perkins remarks are bordering on hate mongering. His views are highly anti-christian and un-American. His lack of understanding, just shows a total disregard for youth safety and could be construed as encouraging bullying.

If he is so concerned about youth issues, what is he doing to prevent teenage pregnancy?

[ZeraLee]

03:38 AM on 10/29/2010

By definition, gays have a different definition of "normal" when it cones to sex. Perkins' standards, and his religion, simply do not apply. He will never accept that because he feels he has a divine right to dictate the ordering of other people's lives. He does not, in law or in faith, have any such right.

[pkafin]

09:52 AM on 10/29/2010

Actually, according to the huge study on American sexuality that came out recently, gays and straights engage in most of the same behaviors when it comes to sex. Gay folk are obviously disadvantaged in terms of the variety of parts between them, but, when working with what they've got, Americans of all sorts of varying orientations find oral sex (going both ways) and anal sex well within the "normal" range of behavior.

Basically, it's normal to want to be intimate with those who trigger the pounce instinct. The plumbing of it all is a rather superficial element when you get right down to it.

[ZeraLee]

08:16 PM on 10/29/2010

True, but I was thinking more of motivations than mechanics.

The key word is "orientation." Perkins gets far more bent by the who than the how.

And yes, there is more to it than gay males.

[reasonable111]

10:58 AM on 11/07/2010

"Gay folk are obviously disadvantaged in terms of the variety of parts between them"

Duh!

Cause the organs they are using are (were) not meant for sexual use- they aren't sex organs ( you know, the one you use to eliminate)

[charles116]

08:05 PM on 11/25/2010

We do not have a different view of normal.
It's sunny, it rains, which is normal?

[Razzer]

01:52 AM on 10/29/2010

I post this to illustrate the perspective and "mission" of Mr. Perkins' "Family Research" Council. - illustrated at their core issues page, at http://www.frc.org/issues .

How many of their published "Issues" on their core presentation page mention "homosexuality"? Answer: 3.
(Updated: down to 2, a day later; a new topic pushed one "homosexuality" topic off their issues page)

And: how many times does the "Issues" page name any of these core family topcs?
Answer: 0: That's right. Goose egg, goes to:
- Homelessness
- Poverty, Job Loss
- Education
- Peace
- Parenting skills
- Birth order
- Single head of household
- Healthcare
- Insurance
- Addiction
- Bullying
- Disability
- Genealogy
- Family planning
- Domestic abuse
- Mental health
- Gambling
- Alcoholism
- Divorce
- Death
- Law
- Inheritance
- Adoption
- Siblings
- Congenital issues

[prog]

01:39 AM on 10/29/2010

I think that Jesus guy once said something along the lines of "love one another." Apparently too complicated and hard for Christians.

[pending]

07:12 AM on 10/29/2010

Jesus had 12 boyfriends.

[Ioan Lightoller]

03:09 PM on 10/31/2010

Oh, SNAP! Fanned and faved!

[lvrose3]

12:28 AM on 10/29/2010

Didn't I just see Tony on the A-List: New York, Logo Channel?

[carsntrucks]

12:14 AM on 10/29/2010

I have to say: I think this brings up another issue that's uncomfortable for some people to talk about, and deal with. Not all kids who are teased for being gay are *actually* gay.

Often times calling a young male gay is just to threaten his manhood, and sometimes young males take it to heart and they start to believe they're less of a male.

This isn't to say homosexuality is synonymous with not being a man, but it's often perceived that way. "Gay" to teenagers is effeminate, sensitive males, not a distinct orientation one has no control over.

But the problem is, being a teen is a tough time, and teens are impressionable, and some can be convinced that they are queer in the abnormal sense. That can lead to them acting out and trying to conform to peer judgment just to fit in and retain some dignity and sense of self.

The point is, teens need to learn homosexuality is neither a punchline nor something one can just become. Teens need to know that just because someone calls them gay doesn't make them gay. They need to resist trying to fit into that image because it seems everyone else sees them that way. If they are gay, fine, but if they're not, that's fine too. But I think the issue with depression is, in part, due to teens -- gay and straight -- trying to conform to social expectations than being who they are.

[elsie900]

11:20 PM on 10/28/2010

This Christian thinks it's WAY past time for Tony's own rentboy expose to be released.

It's a pity that loudly citing "WWDJ" seems to diminish your capacity to actually DWJWD.

[Loni Wolf]

09:11 PM on 10/28/2010

Why does Perkins have more compassion for animals than he does for Gay Teenagers? I think HE is the "sick" Human Being. Perkins is lacking in compassion, altruism, empathy, and ANY Christ-like attributes. To make things worse for Teens, & show less grace or benevolence than most people would an injured dog, makes Mr. Perkins a TRUE prince of a fellow. Thank the Lord he is NOT running in my state, because the world does NOT NEED ANY MORE PEOPLE LIKE THIS GUY.

[realitytrumpsbull]

08:42 PM on 10/28/2010

I think the narrative generally runs like this: Whether or not you like gays, or whatever you religious or political leanings might be, they're still citizens of this country. And, when religious people start singling out people that THEY don't like, and are trying to incite public opinion against them, well, maybe it's time to have 'happy time' next Sunday, instead of the traditional worship service, kind of an opportunity for everyone to stay home, and ponder on the concept of the abuse of the institution of religion, and hangers-on, and congregants, and their good faith and nature, for political purposes.

[mootown]

07:37 AM on 10/29/2010

Most of these religious thugs care little if you are sitting in church. They only care if you are sitting down and writing a check.

[Ioan Lightoller]

07:31 PM on 10/28/2010

No, Tony, they commit suicide because they can no longer endure the bigotry and bullying fomented by haters like you.

Is there no depths these haters won't sink to?