Copy for Fall, 2001 catalog

ABC-CLIO's Homosexuality and Medicine: A Guide to the Debates is the first reference work to examine the history of the scientific study of homosexuality in a comprehensive, balanced, and chronological manner. Covering the 19th century to the present, it explores the various arguments and developments scientists have used to understand and "treat" homosexuality.  Considering the topic within the broader contexts of politics, culture, and society, this high interest title:

•  delineates the biological evidence used to defend the normality of homosexuality, such as twin studies, molecular genetics, neurobiological studies and other recent research

•  includes moving narratives of gay people mistreated by medical science, revealing the shocking therapies used to change their sexual orientation

•  shows how theories of homosexuality have been shaped by hereditary theory, evolution, eugenics, endocrinology, neurobiology, molecular biology, psychology, genetics, anthropology, and sexology

•  introduces the most recent findings on gay and lesbian health and mental health, clearly explaining the psychiatric and medical terms used

•  makes available important, hard to obtain historical documents on the treatment of homosexuality.

Valuable as both a one-stop reference and history book, Homosexuality and Medicine features sidebars presenting in-depth materials, a chronology and a detailed index.

Dr. Vernon Rosario II is currently a psychiatrist at UCLA's Neuropsychiatric Institute.  He has an M.D. from Harvard Medical School and  Ph.D. from Harvard University in History of Science.