The Gay-Straight Alliance, a student organization at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, will host a presentation titled “Homosexuality: Choice or Chance” at 7 p.m. on April 29 in room 101 in the Chemical and Natural Sciences Building.

Bramstedt

The featured speakers will be Dr. Brian Bramstedt, assistant professor of psychology, and Dr. Russ Minton, associate professor of biology and the GSA faculty advisor. Each professor will discuss the topic of homosexuality in terms of his academic discipline, followed by a larger discussion after.

Bramstedt will discuss the social and mental aspects of homosexuality rooted in psychology. He will focus on the struggle for acceptance and social rights, the slow change towards acceptance and the failure of intervention attempts to “deprogram” gay people.

Minton will approach the subject from the perspective of a biologist. His portion will focus on how homosexuality is a normal aspect of nature found throughout the animal kingdom.

The GSA hopes that the discussion will give the audience an objective, rational perspective on the issue.

“Our overarching hope is that we can educate people about homosexuality and what the facts regarding it are,” Minton said. “It's such a hot button topic for people for many reasons, and a lot of those reasons are based on a lack of knowledge and understanding.”





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