In a message dated 11/15/01 10:16:03 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > Her "recovered memories" (which by then were falling out of favor) hadn't been >completely artificial, she and /or her therapist had just drawn the wrong >conclusions from her incomplete memories. >I think I came out unscarred, but I'm furious when I think what's been >done to my sister's life, and how it even indirectly removed *her* from *our* >lives.
Sigh. As a long-time veteran of the memory wars, let me just say that the position of "recovered memories are always false" is not any more accurate than "recovered memories are always true". for reference, see Christine Courtois's book Recollections of Sexual Abuse (1999). It is far too complex a situation to draw such simplistic conclusions. There was a ton of abuses in the 90's, but in my opinion the pendulum has swung too far in the opposite direction. For your sake, I'm glad that you haven't suffered from it. There is a large body of literature that shows that sexual abuse is not always traumatic, although it certainly can be and especially when it's in the family, that's very hard. also, Walt, where did you get the idea that anyone would associate child abuse with your being homosexual? I thought that belief went out a long time ago. I'd hope no one on this list would show such poor judgement. Hell, I wonder if even Dr. Laura would be that stupid. And Dr. Laura is, frankly, one of the people who most pisses me off of anyone on the face of the earth. Of course, I think the people who are dumb enough to call her deserve what they get - to put it politely, one-size-fits-all advice by a loudmouth. Mary (if I depended upon others' approval for my life, I wouldn't be here)
