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Interim Report submitted to the Committee on Expenditures in the Executive
Departments by its Subcommittee on Investigations pursuant to S. Res. 280 (81st
Congress). A Resolution Authorizing the Committee on Expenditures in the
Executive Departments to Carry Out Certain Duties.
An investigation on a Government-wide scale of homosexuality and other sex
perversion is unprecedented. Furthermore, reliable, factual information on the
subject of homosexuality and sex perversion is somewhat limited. In the past,
studies in this field, for the most part, were confined to scientific studies
by medical experts and sociologists. The criminal courts and the police have
had considerable experience in the handling of sex perverts as law violators,
but the subject as a personnel problem until very recently has received little
attention from Government administrators and personnel officers.
The primary objective of the subcommittee in this inquiry was to determine the
extent of the employment of homosexuals and other sex perverts in Government;
to consider reasons why their employment by the Government is undesirable; and
to examine into the efficacy of the methods used in dealing with the problem.
Because of the complex nature of the subject under investigation it was
apparent that this investigation could not be confined to a mere personnel
inquiry. Therefore, the subcommittee considered not only the security risk and
other aspects of the employment of homosexuals, including the rules and
procedures followed by Government agencies in handling these cases, but
inquiries were also made into the basic medical, psychiatric, sociological and
legal phases of the problem. A number of eminent physicians and psychiatrists,
who are recognized authorities on this subject, were consulted and some of
these authorities testified before the subcommittee in executive session. In
addition, numerous medical and sociological studies were reviewed. Information
was also sought and obtained from law-enforcement officers, prosecutors, and
other persons dealing with the legal and sociological aspects of the problem in
10 of the larger cities in the country.
The subcommittee, being well aware of the strong moral and social taboos
attached to homosexuality and other forms of sex perversion, made every effort
to protect individuals from unnecessary public ridicule and to prevent this
inquiry from becoming a public spectacle. In carrying out this policy it was
determined at the outset that all testimony would be taken by the subcommittee
in executive session. Accordingly, all witnesses appearing before the
subcommittee testified in executive hearings. In the conduct of this
investigation the subcommittee tried to avoid the circus atmosphere which could
attend an inquiry of this type and sought to make a thorough factual study of
the problem at hand in an unbiased, objective manner.
It was determined that even among the experts there existed considerable
difference of opinion concerning the many facets of homosexuality and other
forms of sex perversion. Even the terms "sex pervert" and "homosexual are given
different connotations by the medical and psychiatric experts. For the purpose
of this report the subcommittee has defined sex perverts as "those who engage
in unnatural sexual acts" and homosexuals are perverts who may be broadly
defined as "persons of either sex who as adults engage in sexual activities
with persons of the same sex." In this inquiry the subcommittee is not
concerned with so-called latent sex perverts, namely, those persons who
knowingly or unknowingly have tendencies or inclinations toward homosexuality
or other types of sex perversion, but who, by the exercise of self-restraint or
for other reasons do not indulge in overt acts of perversion. This
investigation is concerned only with those who engage in overt acts of
homosexuality or other sex perversion.
The subcommittee found that most authorities agree on certain basic facts
concerning sex perversion and it is felt that these facts should be considered
in any discussion of the problem. Most authorities believe that sex deviation
results from psychological rather than physical causes, and in many cases there
are no outward characteristics or physical traits that are positive as
identifying marks of sex perversion. Contrary to a common belief, all
homosexual males do not have feminine mannerisms, nor do all female homosexuals
display masculine characteristics in their dress or actions. The fact is that
many male homosexuals are very masculine in their physical appearance and
general demeanor, and many female homosexuals have every appearance of
femininity in their outward behavior.
Generally speaking, the overt homosexual of both sexes can be divided into two
general types; the active, aggressive or male type, and the submissive, passive
or female type. The passive type of male homosexual, who often is effeminate in
his mannerisms and appearance, is attracted to the masculine type of man and is
friendly and congenial with women. On the other hand the active male homosexual
often has a dislike for women. He exhibits no traces of femininity in his
speech or mannerisms which would disclose his homosexuality. This active type
is almost exclusively attracted to the passive type of homosexual or to young
men or boys who are not necessarily homosexual but who are effeminate in
general appearance or behavior. The active and passive type of female
homosexual follow the same general patterns as their male counterparts. It is
also a known fact that some perverts are bisexual. This type engages in normal
heterosexual relationships as well as homosexual activities. These bisexual
individuals are often married and have children, and except for their perverted
activities they appear to lead normal lives.
Psychiatric physicians generally agree that indulgence in sexually perverted
practices indicates a personality which has failed to reach sexual maturity.
The authorities agree that most sex deviates respond to psychiatric treatment
and can be cured if they have a genuine desire to be cured. However, many overt
homosexuals have no real desire to abandon their way of life and in such cases
cures are difficult, if not impossible. The subcommittee sincerely believes
that persons afflicted with sexual desires which result in their engaging in
overt acts of perversion should be considered as proper cases for medical and
psychiatric treatment. However, sex perverts, like all other persons who by
their overt acts violate moral codes and laws and the accepted standards of
conduct, must be treated as transgressors and dealt with accordingly.
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![Sex Perverts as Government Employees](../art/c3b.gif)
Those charged with the responsibility of operating the agencies of Government
must insist that Government employees meet acceptable standards of personal
conduct. In the opinion of this subcommittee homosexuals and other sex
perverts are not proper persons to be employed in Government for two reasons;
first, they are generally unsuitable, and second, they constitute security
risks.
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![General Unsuitability of Sex Perverts](../art/c3c.gif)
Overt acts of sex perversion, including acts of homosexuality, constitute a
crime under our Federal, State, and municipal statutes and persons who commit
such acts are law violators. Aside from the criminality and immorality involved
in sex perversion such behavior is so contrary to the normal accepted standards
of social behavior that persons who engage in such activity are looked upon as
outcasts by society generally. The social stigma attached to sex perversion is
so great that many perverts go to great lengths to conceal their perverted
tendencies. This situation is evidenced by the fact that perverts are
frequently victimized by blackmailers who threaten to expose their sexual
deviations.
Law enforcement officers have informed the subcommittee that there are gangs of
blackmailers who make a regular practice of preying upon the homosexual. The
modus operandi in these homosexual blackmail cases usually follow the same
general pattern. The victim, who is a homosexual, has managed to conceal his
perverted activities and usually enjoys a good reputation in his community. The
blackmailers, by one means or another, discover that the victim is addicted to
homosexuality and under the threat of disclosure they extort money from him.
These blackmailers often impersonate police officers in carrying out their
blackmail schemes. Many cases have come to the attention of the police where
highly respected individuals have paid out substantial sums of money to
blackmailers over a long period of time rather than risk the disclosure of
their homosexual activities. The police believe that this type of blackmail
racket is much more extensive than is generally known, because they have found
that most of the victims are very hesitant to bring the matter to the attention
of the authorities.
In further considering the general suitability of perverts as Government
employees, it is generally believed that those who engage in overt acts of
perversion lack the emotional stability of normal persons. In addition there is
an abundance of evidence to sustain the conclusion that indulgence in acts of
sex perversion weakens the moral fiber of an individual to a degree that he is
not suitable for a position of responsibility.
Most of the authorities agree and our investigation has shown that the presence
of a sex pervert in a Government agency tends to have a corrosive influence
upon his fellow employees. These perverts will frequently attempt to entice
normal individuals to engage in perverted practices. This is particularly true
in the case of young and impressionable people who might come under the
influence of a pervert. Government officials have the responsibility of keeping
this type of corrosive influence out of the agencies under their control. It is
particularly important that the thousands of young men and women who are
brought into Federal jobs not be subjected to that type of influence while in
the service of the Government. One homosexual can pollute a Government
office.
Another point to be considered in determining whether a sex pervert is suitable
for Government employment is his tendency to gather other perverts about him.
Eminent psychiatrists have informed the subcommittee that the homosexual is
likely to seek his own kind because the pressures of society are such that he
feels uncomfortable unless he is with his own kind. Due to this situation the
homosexual tends to surround himself with other homosexuals, not only in his
social, but in his business life Under these circumstances if a homosexual
attains a position in Government where he can influence the hiring of
personnel, it is almost inevitable that he will attempt to place other
homosexuals in Government jobs.
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![Sex Perverts as Security Risks](../art/c3d.gif)
The conclusion of the subcommittee that a homosexual or other sex pervert is a
security risk is not based upon mere conjecture. That conclusion is predicated
upon a careful review of the opinions of those best qualified to consider
matters of security in Government, namely, the intelligence agencies of the
Government. Testimony on this phase of the inquiry was taken from
representatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Central
Intelligence Agency, and the intelligence services of the Army, Navy and Air
Force. All of these agencies are in complete agreement that sex perverts in
Government constitute security risks.
The lack of emotional stability which is found in most sex perverts and the
weakness of their moral fiber, makes them susceptible to the blandishments of
the foreign espionage agent. It is the experience of intelligence experts that
perverts are vulnerable to interrogation by a skilled questioner and they
seldom refuse to talk about themselves. Furthermore, most perverts tend to
congregate at the same restaurants, night clubs, and bars, which places can be
identified with comparative ease in any community, making it possible for a
recruiting agent to develop clandestine relationships which can be used for
espionage purposes.
As has been previously discussed in this report, the pervert is easy prey to
the blackmailer. It follows that if blackmailers can extort money from a
homosexual under the threat of disclosure, espionage agents can use the same
type of pressure to extort confidential information or other material they
might be seeking. . . . It is an accepted fact among intelligence agencies that
espionage organizations the world over consider sex perverts who are in
possession of or have access to confidential material to be prime targets where
pressure can be exerted. In virtually every case despite protestations by the
perverts that they would never succumb to blackmail, invariably they express
considerable concern over the fact that their condition might become known to
their friends, associates, or the public at large. . . .
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![Conclusion](../art/c3e.gif)
. . . It is the opinion of this subcommittee that those who engage in acts of
homosexuality and other perverted sex activities are unsuitable for employment
in the Federal Government. This conclusion is based upon the fact that persons
who indulge in such degraded activity are committing not only illegal and
immoral acts, but they also constitute security risks in positions of public
trust.
The subcommittee found that in the past many Government officials failed to
take a realistic view of the problem of sex perversion in Government with the
result that a number of sex perverts were not discovered or removed from
Government jobs, and in still other instances they were quietly eased out of
one department and promptly found employment in another agency. . .
It is quite apparent that as a direct result of this investigation officials
throughout the Government have become much more alert to the problem of the
employment of sex perverts in Government and in recent months they have removed
a substantial number of these undesirables from public positions. This is
evidenced by the fact that action has been taken m 382 sex perversion cases
involving civilian employees of Government in the past 7 months, whereas action
was taken in only 192 similar cases in the previous 3-year period from January
1, 1947, to April 1, 1950.. However, it appears to the subcommittee that some
Government officials are not yet fully aware of the inherent dangers involved
in the employment of sex perverts. It is the considered opinion of the
subcommittee that Government officials have the responsibility of exercising a
high degree of diligence in the handling of the problem of sex perversion, and
it is urged that they follow the recommendations of this subcommittee in that
regard.
While this subcommittee is convinced that it is in the public interest to get
sex perverts out of Government and keep them out, this program should be
carried out in a manner consistent with the traditional American concepts of
justice and fair play. In order to accomplish this end every reasonable
complaint of perverted sex activities on the part of Government employees
should be thoroughly investigated and dismissals should be ordered only after a
complete review of the facts and in accordance with the present civil-service
procedures. . . .
Since the initiation of this investigation considerable progress has been made
in removing homosexuals and similar undesirable employees from positions in the
Government. However, it should be borne in mind that the public interest cannot
be adequately protected unless responsible officials adopt and maintain a
realistic and vigilant attitude toward the problem of sex perverts in the
Government. To pussyfoot or to take half measures will allow some known
perverts to remain in Government and can result in the dismissal of innocent
persons. . . .
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Excerpted with permission from Donald Webster Cory, The Homosexual in
America: A Subjective Approach (New York: Arno Press, 1975), pp.
270-277. | ![](../art/blank.gif) |
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