radio yakker Dr Laura: gay blasts made me a sob-sister

Doug Henwood dhenwood at panix.com
Sun Jun 25 12:51:42 PDT 2000


New York Post - June 25, 2000

Dr. Laura: Gay blasts made me a sob sister By Devlin Barrett

Controversial talk-show host Dr. Laura -- under fire from critics for branding gays as "biological errors" -- admits her critics have reduced her to tears.

Dr. Laura Schlessinger has come under fierce criticism from gay groups for harsh words about homosexuals, but refused to back down in an interview in next week's Time magazine.

"I've cried more times than I would like to admit," says Dr. Laura, arguing her comments have been taken out of context.

But the radio yakker, who is about to launch a TV show, had more to say about gays and lesbians in the interview, which hits newsstands tomorrow.

"Not being able to relate normally to a member of the opposite sex is some kind of error," she says. "I do not see that as insulting at all. It is a statement of biological fact.

"We have vaginas and penises. We were biologically meant to give birth to more people," Dr. Laura says.

And she still argues that a married person who discovers their own homosexuality should stay in the marriage.

"You made a vow. You have children," says the preachy doc. "They deserve you to sacrifice so they can have what they need to grow up because you made your choices already."

But Schlessinger is vehemently opposed to gay and lesbian couples raising children, saying little boys and girls need a heterosexual home to grow up "with an image of what their future life will be like.

"The best environment is with the polarity of a mother and a father joined in love," she says.

Despite her hard-core haranguing, Dr. Laura says she is stunned by the furor sparked by her pronouncements.

"It's astonishing to have your name smeared with such vitriol," she says.

"I wouldn't wish it on people I dislike. It's been agonizing.

"I regret that my words were taken out of context, distorted and lied about so people were hurt from the lies," she says.

"Even now I get hundreds of letters a week from gays and lesbians who realize the way I'm being presented is nowhere near the truth."



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