Even the American Psychological Association Says that Ex-Gay Therapy Causes Harm
Published August 05, 2009 @ 02:07PM PT
Ex-gay therapy has been roundly condemned by rights-based organizations and activists for decades as nothing more than a sham psychological practice that can have indefinite and considerable consequences on those that are forced to go through it. Now the American Psychological Association (APA) is on the record with their agreement.
Meeting in Toronto this week, the APA released a report that said ex-gay therapy is harmful, and that there's no credible scientific evidence to suggest that people can change their sexual orientation, regardless of what organizations like Exodus International or Love Won Out think. Here's the skinny, hot off the Associated Press:
The American Psychological Association has declared that mental health professionals should not tell gay clients that they can become straight through therapy or other treatments.
Instead, the APA is urging therapists to consider multiple options — that could range from celibacy to switching churches — for helping clients whose sexual orientation and religious faith conflict.
In a resolution adopted by the APA's governing council and in a comprehensive report based on two years of research, the association puts itself firmly on record in opposition of so-called "reparative therapy" which seeks to change sexual orientation.
No solid evidence exists that such change is likely, says the report, and some research suggests that efforts to produce change could be harmful, inducing depression and suicidal tendencies.
The APA should have the report up on their Web site within a few hours (UPDATE: It's here!). And not that we needed official confirmation from the APA that ex-gay therapy has devastating consequences. That's a fact that organizations like Truth Wins Out have been saying for years. And today they applauded the APA for taking ex-gay therapy promoters to task.
It was encouraging to see the APA question the ex-gay tactic of teaching vulnerable clients to live in a fantasy world. Groups like Exodus and the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH), regularly encourage clients to say they have converted, even though they are still gay. The idea is that by proclaiming a false heterosexual identity in advance of any legitimate change, the desired transformation will eventually come.
This idea is equivalent to me wanting to play professional basketball, so I begin to identify as a member of the New York Knicks. Never mind that I am too short, too old and not good enough to make the roster. If I embrace this surreal existence long enough, I will one-day be dunking the ball under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden.
It is imperative that clients are honest about who they are and not prodded to make claims that are not true. Such a gap between fantasy and reality, according to the APA report, can create “cognitive dissonance” and does not resolve “identity conflicts.”
Woot woot for the APA.
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Comments (30)
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Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.
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You would think that common sense and logic would be enough for folks to realise and understand that you can change who you are fundementaly but then the bible thumpers seem to be regularly lacking in both logic and common sense...1,000,000,000 kudos to A.P.A. for spelling it out for them.
Posted by Thomas McHugh on 08/05/2009 @ 03:16PM PT
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I meant to say "cant" rather than "can"...Sorry.
Posted by Thomas McHugh on 08/05/2009 @ 03:17PM PT
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The American Pyschological Association has done the correct thing by stating that ex-gay therapy is a method of where the intolerance of religion takes harmful control of an individual. With the APA's correct statement on ex-gay therapy, all credible churches must stop the harmful and intolerant practice. Tolerance is a better approach and will always be a better approach than forcing someone to change their sexual orientation.
Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 08/05/2009 @ 05:50PM PT
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since when does someone HAVE to be a member of a church? If they don't agree with it then don't be a member! What's next "the thought police?"
Posted by ken jenkins on 08/09/2009 @ 09:48AM PT
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What took them so long?
Posted by Luella - on 08/05/2009 @ 11:00PM PT
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Your question startles me. The APA has been vehemently against ex-gay therapy since its fruition in the late seventies. This is just another round up where they repeat themselves again, again, and again hoping that someone will listen. Its time for people to FINALLY start listening to the scientist, and doctors! This blog on this issues makes it seem likes its the first time the APA said this.
When the APA opted out quack Cameron's work and removed homosexuality from the DSM they also made a very broad statement that they oppose attempts to change someones sexual orientation. They then repeated themselves three more times in the eighties when the AIDS scare happened, then at every turn they could get since DADT and DOMA were created. Is so sad people are so ignorant of what he APA has to say about homosexuality even if they happen to be homosexual or a supporter
So... Here are some links to what they have been trying to yell to everyone.
http://www.apa.org/topics/sorientation.html
http://www.apa.org/topics/sorientation.pdf
And this is what the APA has been up to for the last twenty years
http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbc/homepage.html
http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/rainbow/html/facts_changing.html
Posted by Chris Marshall on 08/06/2009 @ 10:58AM PT
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You can no more "cure" or "change" sexual orientation than you can your skin color, eye color, ethnic origin, etc. etc. You get the point. Moronic ignorance, hatred, intolerance and bigotry push this stupid and dangerous fallacy. Educate yourself, morons. Maybe that would be expecting too much.
Posted by Frances Saykaly on 08/09/2009 @ 11:42AM PT
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I'm not gay but I am a camp-follower and here's why: without my gay associates I would not have a hairdresser with taste and skill (really) or people to go dancing with that mean I can go clubbing without being picked up or even pestered by hets. And gays know lots of women who think like this and camp-follow too!
More seriously, I remember aversion therapy being tried in the fifties but my aversion is to homophobes and I suspect that there's money in this otherwise the harmless lifestyle of consenting adults would not be raked over so intensely. Urgh.
Posted by Stella Solomons on 08/09/2009 @ 01:51PM PT
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I'm not gay but I am a camp-follower and here's why: without my gay associates I would not have a hairdresser with taste and skill (really) or people to go dancing with that mean I can go clubbing without being picked up or even pestered by hets. And gays know lots of women who think like this and camp-follow too!
More seriously, I remember aversion therapy being tried in the fifties but my aversion is to homophobes and I suspect that there's money in this otherwise the harmless lifestyle of consenting adults would not be raked over so intensely. Urgh.
Posted by Stella Solomons on 08/09/2009 @ 01:51PM PT
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I'm not gay but I am a camp-follower and here's why: without my gay associates I would not have a hairdresser with taste and skill (really) or people to go dancing with that mean I can go clubbing without being picked up or even pestered by hets. And gays know lots of women who think like this and camp-follow too!
More seriously, I remember aversion therapy being tried in the fifties but my aversion is to homophobes and I suspect that there's money in this otherwise the harmless lifestyle of consenting adults would not be raked over so intensely. Urgh.
Posted by Stella Solomons on 08/09/2009 @ 01:51PM PT
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I'm not gay but I am a camp-follower and here's why: without my gay associates I would not have a hairdresser with taste and skill (really) or people to go dancing with that mean I can go clubbing without being picked up or even pestered by hets. And gays know lots of women who think like this and camp-follow too!
More seriously, I remember aversion therapy being tried in the fifties but my aversion is to homophobes and I suspect that there's money in this otherwise the harmless lifestyle of consenting adults would not be raked over so intensely. Urgh.
Posted by Stella Solomons on 08/09/2009 @ 01:51PM PT
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Gay bashers do far more harm to the environment than coal or cars because the gay fertility rate is less than .5.
Posted by Alan Ditmore on 08/09/2009 @ 02:20PM PT
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The human race is surprisingly resilient to open mindedness and general altruism towards one another. The more I study the more I realize that if we keep allowing satisfaction and gratification with our own thoughts, our own beliefs, and our own traditions; instead of studying the questions in our hearts and in our minds; we will never win the war on oppression. If we continue to fear that for which we should question our end is inevitable.
Posted by Chris Marshall on 08/09/2009 @ 03:58PM PT
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The human race is surprisingly resilient to open mindedness and general altruism towards one another. The more I study the more I realize that if we keep allowing satisfaction and gratification with our own thoughts, our own beliefs, and our own traditions; instead of studying the questions in our hearts and in our minds; we will never win the war on oppression. If we continue to fear that for which we should question our end is inevitable.
Posted by Chris Marshall on 08/09/2009 @ 03:58PM PT
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"It takes no compromising to give people their rights. It takes no money to respect the individual. It takes no survey to remove repressions." -Harvey Milk
Posted by Chris Marshall on 08/09/2009 @ 04:02PM PT
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It' s a nice statement that that APA made, but I question the part about encouraging them to be celibate as an option. I suppose it's only one option, but should someone be denied love and the full expression of that love just because they are homosexual? Yes, change churches, but I don't really see celibacy as a realistic option.
Susan Berland
http://susanberland.yolasite.com
Posted by Susan Berland on 08/09/2009 @ 06:43PM PT
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I agree. Also the Bible must be relooked at I translated better. So much has been translated poorly and taken WAY out of context. All supposedly "Anti-Gay" verses are actually either condemning Pedastry, Pedophilia in Temple Prostitution or is something meant for THE ANCIENT HEBREWS ONLY (not modern Jews) to help the growth of ANCIENT Israelite populations (I believe much of the Bible only concerns a certain culture and era and can become obsolite), also Moses and others could have be bigoted themselves. We need a huge MOVEMENT of LIBERAL and MODERATE Religiousity to counter-act the "Religious-Right" and a totally re-translated Bible (OT and NT), Koran, etc. and end Fundamentalism once and for all!
Posted by Julie Salvatore on 08/09/2009 @ 07:09PM PT
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The celibacy part comes from patients that are so brainwashed they cant fathom to live with their sexual orientation and exhibit self destructive tendencies because of guilt. These are people who will have sex take multiple showers, or make multiple confessions to their pastors about the sexual encounter they had with the same sex, to clean them of their guilt.
Basically teaching them the proper way to refrain from having sexual intercourse will put less religious guilt burden on them until they come to accept themselves.
Posted by Chris Marshall on 08/10/2009 @ 07:18AM PT
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I personally was glad to see the suggestion of celibacy included. I am Buddhist and in my tradition celibacy is at times maintained (usually within the monastic community) so as to free oneself from attachment to sexuality and for birth control. While I am in a relationship and gladly do not keep this vow, I support the choice of those who do.
Homosexuality is not in conflict with the Buddha's teachings but I can understand Christians and Jews who believe that homosexual acts are in violation of God's commandments. Celibacy is a harmless way of living in line with that worldview. It is not necessarily "self destructive" and those who choose to maintain a strict reading of Leviticus 18 cannot be simply disregarded as "brainwashed".
I know it is hard to be tolerant of those who are intolerant but as it is written in the Dhammapadha, "Hate cannot be conquered by hate. With love alone can hate be conquered. This is an ancient law."
I hope this is helpful.
Posted by Seth J. on 08/11/2009 @ 08:45PM PT
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This is very important. It is hard to argue with experts. Since homosexuality is no longer considered a "disorder" according to the DSM categorizing of mental illness, it was only logical for the APA to denounce these "cures"; according to medical science, nothing is wrong with homosexuality in the first place, so there is nothing to "fix", as nothing is broken. Granted, you will always find people who will argue on religious grounds that homosexuality is still wrong, despite the strides of psychological expertise. If they are so contemptuous of medical science, perhaps they need to heal themselves instead of going to the doctor for antibiotics when the next flu bug hits.
Posted by S B on 08/10/2009 @ 04:02AM PT
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Unfortunately, as long as religion exists people will argue that homosexuality is wrong. What I find interesting is that it states in the Bible that you should wait until marriage to have sex, yet these people probably lost their virginity as teenagers.
It makes me so angry that people feel they can pick and choose which parts of the Bible to follow. If they are going to be so religious, then do it 100% and accept the limits on their own actions!
Besides, these people would probably try to heal themselves and look for a miracle, but when it fails, they will turn around and claim that God is testing them and their faith!
Posted by Jami Hart on 08/12/2009 @ 07:22AM PT
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Not all religions in fact prohibit homosexuality (such as most forms of Buddhism). Even many Christian denominations are becoming accepting. So I don't religion itself is the problem.
However your point about selective reading of the Bible is a good one. The Jesus of the gospels never mentions same sex relations however he has a to say about the pursuit of wealth as an impediment for salvation.
Posted by Seth J. on 08/12/2009 @ 01:02PM PT
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I didn't mean to imply that all religions prohibit homosexuality, but many do, so there will always be at least someone speaking in the name of religion against homosexuality.
The biggest problem I have with homophobes (religious or not) is that those same sex relationships have NOTHING to do with them and have no impact on them in any way! That's why I don't get why people are speaking out against gay marriage. I think it's fair that they get the same legal benefits as heterosexual couples. Right now, gay people are being punished (in terms of benefits) for not being attracted to the opposite sex when, in my opinion, they were born gay (just as they were born with their skin color, nationality, etc.) I think it's only fair that they are allowed to profess their love and commitment to one another in the same way that heterosexual couples can.
And don't get me started on the distribution of wealth in this country!
Posted by Jami Hart on 08/13/2009 @ 02:53PM PT
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So true!
Posted by Seth J. on 08/13/2009 @ 07:20PM PT
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Ex-gay therapies should be made illegal as a form of cruel and unusual punishment. When the APA says that it can cause damage, that's when a law needs to be made against this. At least all credible psychiatrists are being told not to do this. So, we'll have a large group of therapists who do not practice this. We're getting one step closer to people actually realizing "Hey, those homos may actually be people afterall." Closer, but not close enough.
Posted by Andrew Weit on 08/10/2009 @ 08:19AM PT
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No solid evidence exists that such change is likely, no solid evidence existe that such change is not likely. Thats the beauty of science and any credible scientist will tell you that you can never prove or disprove anythig. You can only assume that the evidence seems to point a certain way but you can't prove it. How many theories have been debunked in the history of psychology. I will wait and see. I believe womenizers are able to change, so why not same sex attractions.
Posted by laura Gonzalez on 08/10/2009 @ 08:51AM PT
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If someone has the right to be gay shouldnt they have the same right not to be, and figure out whatever works for them as an individual with out being criticized or ostrecized by the community.
Posted by laura Gonzalez on 08/10/2009 @ 09:10AM PT
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I think it's insulting to think that my gay friends need the endorsement of the APA to be legitimate people or that people who disagree with a lifestyle on philosophic grounds are viewed as illegitimate.
We need someone on both sides of this argument to comment and avoid becoming an echo chamber. Principled positions don't have to fear contrary discourse. Anybody from "Exodus" reading this?
Posted by Turk Fowler on 08/10/2009 @ 01:13PM PT
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I am a psychologist and hence am concerned about using my full name here.
With that out my way - I am a little untrusting of the APA. It has a little dubious record, at least, in the recent few years. It went all along with the torture perpetrated by the Bush Administration until the evidence could no longer be ignored.
As regards its stance on gay issues - I would urge members to look up how the Utah chapter of APA handled dissension among it's members! A compromise was proudly published in the APA journal as a "conflict resolution intervention". That is going to be a great inspiration for when psychology might have to confront other issues of science.
Also, the APA has gone ahead and merrily granted it's accreditation to a number of christian schools! Who selects the accreditation committee members? The schools themselves!! What do they teach about homosexuality, how to be supportive of clients (or even their own priests) who might be struggling with these issues? Nothing. I know this from a colleague who went to a school like that in (guess where?) California!!
Posted by S SS on 08/10/2009 @ 08:15PM PT
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How credible is the APA?
News reports I read many years ago indicated that the decertification of homosexuality as a mental disorder was not done in a quiet discussion evaluating evidence, rather was a result of intimidation by homosexual activists. Being from San Francisco, I have repeatedly observed hate-filled, brownshirt like actions by homosexual activists, so I find those news reports credible.
As a result of that capitulation under those circumstances, any statement by the APA concerning homosexuality and treatment thereof is viewed by many people with suspicion, at best, if not outright disbelief.
Jami Hart raises a couple of good points. One is to practice what you preach, for actions speak louder than words. The second is about losing virginity as teens: historically most people got married as teens, so waiting for marriage was not the onerous burden it is today.
A final point: marriage used to be unique to the tradition a person believes in. It has become a flash point because the state has taken it over in its usual ham handed way. The way out of the conflict is merely to divorce marriage from the state (unintended pun) and return it to the churches, mosques, synagogs, etc. where it belongs.
Posted by Richard Ortiz on 08/19/2009 @ 04:07PM PT
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