Paul Cameron
Paul Cameron was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA), on November 9, 1939. He received a BA from Los Angeles Pacific College in 1961, an MA from California State University in Los Angeles the following year and a PhD from the University of Colorado in 1966. He has been associated with various schools including Wayne State University (1967-68), University of Louisville (1970-73), Fuller Graduate School of Psychology (part of the Fuller Theological Seminary) (1976-79), and the University of Nebraska (1979-80).
In 1983 the American Psychological Association (APA) expelled Cameron when he refused to cooperate with their investigation into research he conducted claiming that homosexuals were more likely than heterosexuals to engage in criminal behavior and molest children. The American Sociological Association went further and resolved that "Cameron has consistently misinterpreted and misrepresented sociological research on sexuality, homosexuality, and lesbianism."[1] Cameron said those rebukes stemmed from "political differences."
He is currently the chairperson of the Family Research Institute in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Cameron's research is controversial as its detractors often claim that it casts homosexuals as criminals, killers, deviants, and perverts. Cameron's work receives criticism from other researchers and organizations. Nonetheless, his publications continue to be cited as support by some groups who oppose same-sex marriage and foster or adoptive parents for people of homosexual orientation.
Court testimony
Paul Cameron testified in the case Baker v. Wade (1985). Judge Buchmeyer of the U.S. District Court of Dallas accused Dr. Cameron of making incorrect statements in his affidavits submitted to the Court. ("Donald F. BAKER, Plaintiff v. Henry WADE, Defendant". Retrieved March 03. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)(p.536).9.) Dr. Cameron has disputed Judge Buchmeyer's findings and placed the relevant portions of his affidavits on the web. Cameron's rebuttal Judge Buchmeyer's decision was later overturned by the Fifth Circuit sitting en banc. Baker v. Wade, 769 F.2d 289 (5th Cir. 1985).
Paul Cameron was the chief witness in favor of the failed Virginia Anti-Gay Adoption Bill in 2005. He claims that gay people are predominently drug users and prostitutes, "disrupt society," and have a much lower life expectancy (he claims that it can be scientifically proven that the average homosexual only lives to be 42). The methodology of his 1994 study of obituaries in gay newspapers is criticized for using data from a convenience sample (which uses whatever individuals are available) to generalize to an entire population.
References
- ^ Michael Kranish (July 31, 2005). "Beliefs drive research agenda of new think tanks". Retrieved 2006-08-31.
- Antigay adoption bill rejected in Virginia
- "Paul Cameron Bio and Fact Sheet". Sexual Orientation: Science, Education, and Policy Webpage. Retrieved March 03.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "Donald F. BAKER, Plaintiff v. Henry WADE, Defendant". Retrieved March 03.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - Cameron, P., Playfair, W. L., & Wellum, S. (1994). The longevity of homosexuals: Before and after the AIDS epidemic. Omega, 29, 249-272.