NEW YORK — The American Psychological Association declared Wednesday that mental health professionals should not tell gay clients they can become straight through therapy or other treatments.
In a resolution adopted by the APA’s governing council, and in an accompanying report, the association issued its most comprehensive repudiation of “reparative therapy” — a concept espoused by a small but persistent group of therapists, often allied with religious conservatives, who maintain gays can change.
No solid evidence exists that such change is likely, says the resolution, adopted by a 125-4 vote. The APA said some research suggests that efforts to produce change could be harmful, inducing depression and suicidal tendencies.
Instead of seeking such change, the APA urged therapists to consider multiple options — that could range from celibacy to switching churches — for helping clients live spiritually rewarding lives in instances where their sexual orientation and religious faith conflict.
The APA had criticized reparative therapy in the past, but a six-member task force added weight to this position by examining 83 studies on sexual orientation change conducted since 1960. Its report was endorsed by the APA’s governing council in Toronto, where the 150,000-member association’s annual meeting is being held this weekend.
The report breaks new ground in its detailed and nuanced assessment of how therapists should deal with gay clients struggling to remain loyal to a religious faith that disapproves of homosexuality.
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Maybe they should try shocking the republicans to see if that makes them democrats. Arses. The ones who maintain that it’s a ‘good idea’ I mean
Urgh. Republicans are awful.
Don’t worry. Evolution will not stand for this. Ideas like this will rot away in the coming ages.
Is it just me, is that a vagina-esque perfume bottle on the billboard on the right? ^_^
NARTH is the often sited “authority” on turning gay people straight, in spite of having no scientific backing outside the religious right. What you tend to find is that these ex-gays are “straight people struggling with same sex attraction”… as in it didn’t work and they’re going through the motions of the sham marriage and spawning their 2.4 children, but still going to gay clubs when the wife’s away. Others become depressed and suicidal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NARTH#Gerald_Schoenewolf_controversy
If this stuff worked Ted Haggard would be straight by now, but a man with more evangelical connections than god is supposedly still “a straight man struggling with same sex attraction”.
If religious conservatives would mind their own business rather than trying to destroy other people’s relationships we’d all be much happier.
lol @naehutch…it´s just you…it could also be a pole with sacked scrotum
Erm .. but what if you want to become a homosexual, so no longer straight? But you really have trouble becoming homosexual as you sort of feel like you are being straight. There’s therapy for that too I guess, in the USA. Or on its way.
Best is to be born bisexual … always good … whereever you live. And oh man .. if you still can not find someone then .. then you must focus on aliens for sure after that … ehehehe … (therapy on its way for those as well .. the aliensexuals).
Lol, sooooo therapy to make you straight eh?! so essentially these ‘therapists’ are the ones telling you there’s something wrong in the first place??? surely this isn’t allowed :s it wouldn’t in UK!! Well, if we need change you can count on the APA…not usually a fan, i get scared to write anything, but on this occasion i approve!!!!
lol that’s the funniest thing ive heard in ages!what channel is that comedy on?
hmmm