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June 23, , 1950
TO:
U - Mr. Webb
FROM:
A - Carlisle H. Humelsine
SUBJECT: Problem of Homosexuals and Sex Perverts in the
Department of State.
Homosexuality, which is sexual attraction to a person of the
same sex, is as old as the history of mankind. From time immemorial
all races of man have had to deal with the subject. Some have condoned
it and some have condemned it. Studies have been made which purport
to relate the strong rise of homosexuality with the accompanying
decline of the Egyptian, Greek and Roman Empires. Some experts hold
that where the mores of a people have condoned homosexuality through
apathy, the vigor and virility of that people have been emasculated,
and that where the homosexuality of an individual has been established
in a society where modesty demands concealment, the position of that
individual has been weakened psychologically and sociologically.
Many of the men who have studied homosexuality tell us that
homosexuals are neurotic, characterized by emotional instability,
that they represent a type of regression to man's primitive instincts
and that they live a life of flight from their inversion and of fear of
detection. They are content and at ease only when surrounded with other
homosexuals. They meet at known homosexual gathering places, seek each
other in cooktail lounges and public parks, and rarely live with anyone
other than another homosexual. They come from all walks of life and all
strata of society. They often disassociate themselves with their early
childhood and family connections and endeavor to build a pseudo-cultural
background around them. Many of them develop strong hate fixations
which often colors and affects their thinking and behavior. These
fixations may be on the mother, father, a brother or sister, or on all
members of the opposite sex.
Until very recent years the Department of State, as well as the
several agencies of the Federal Government, tolerated homosexuals in
its employment solely because not much was known about them or who
they were. Occasionally when one was found he was dismissed or
reassigned, depending upon the circumstances surrounding the individual
case. It was the type of problem that most officers of the Federal
Government, not conversant in the subject, would rather not consider.
It therefore was allowed to exist and to grow.
It was
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"ocrText": "June 23, , 1950\nTO:\nU - Mr. Webb\nFROM:\nA - Carlisle H. Humelsine\nSUBJECT: Problem of Homosexuals and Sex Perverts in the\nDepartment of State.\nHomosexuality, which is sexual attraction to a person of the\nsame sex, is as old as the history of mankind. From time immemorial\nall races of man have had to deal with the subject. Some have condoned\nit and some have condemned it. Studies have been made which purport\nto relate the strong rise of homosexuality with the accompanying\ndecline of the Egyptian, Greek and Roman Empires. Some experts hold\nthat where the mores of a people have condoned homosexuality through\napathy, the vigor and virility of that people have been emasculated,\nand that where the homosexuality of an individual has been established\nin a society where modesty demands concealment, the position of that\nindividual has been weakened psychologically and sociologically.\nMany of the men who have studied homosexuality tell us that\nhomosexuals are neurotic, characterized by emotional instability,\nthat they represent a type of regression to man's primitive instincts\nand that they live a life of flight from their inversion and of fear of\ndetection. They are content and at ease only when surrounded with other\nhomosexuals. They meet at known homosexual gathering places, seek each\nother in cooktail lounges and public parks, and rarely live with anyone\nother than another homosexual. They come from all walks of life and all\nstrata of society. They often disassociate themselves with their early\nchildhood and family connections and endeavor to build a pseudo-cultural\nbackground around them. Many of them develop strong hate fixations\nwhich often colors and affects their thinking and behavior. These\nfixations may be on the mother, father, a brother or sister, or on all\nmembers of the opposite sex.\nUntil very recent years the Department of State, as well as the\nseveral agencies of the Federal Government, tolerated homosexuals in\nits employment solely because not much was known about them or who\nthey were. Occasionally when one was found he was dismissed or\nreassigned, depending upon the circumstances surrounding the individual\ncase. It was the type of problem that most officers of the Federal\nGovernment, not conversant in the subject, would rather not consider.\nIt therefore was allowed to exist and to grow.\nIt was"
}