"Not Cured, But Paralyzed! This is the Tragic Fate of Homosexuals in the 1940s Who Were Forced to Undergo Brain Surgery"

The story of James Peterson is a tragic example of the impact of transorbital lobotomy in 1948, where he was "cured" of homosexuality through the severing of brain tissue, but lost his personality, memory, and emotions, becoming an empty shell without identity, showing how social stigma and extreme medical practices at the time destroyed individuals for a false "cure," where homosexuality was still considered a mental illness until the 1970s.

Background:

Social Context: In 1948, homosexuality was considered a "sexual deviation" or mental illness, even included in official medical manuals (DSM) until the 1970s.

Family & Stigma: James's parents, concerned about their son's sexual orientation, took him to a mental hospital to be "cured."

Transorbital Lobotomy Procedure:

Diagnosis: The doctor diagnosed James with "Sexual Perversion."

Method: The doctor performed a transorbital lobotomy, a 15-minute procedure using an ice pick-like instrument inserted through the eye socket to sever nerves in the frontal lobe of the brain. Purpose: To eliminate sexual behavior deemed deviant.

Post-Operative Impact:

Medical "Success": The doctor noted James was "calm" and "no longer showed deviant sexual interest," claiming the procedure was successful.

Loss of Self: 

James lost all his personality; he became apathetic, unable to think critically, had no emotions, and lost his memory and identity, despite previously being a talented artist.

Parents' Regret: James's parents eventually realized the horror they had caused, losing their son completely for a "normal son," and left, abandoning James.

James's Fate: James lived for the next 46 years in a state of mental and emotional paralysis, dying in 1994 without ever recovering.

Critique of Medical Practice: Lobotomy, once considered a brilliant discovery (even its inventor received a Nobel), is now a symbol of extreme medical practices that destroy the soul to control behavior disliked by society.