Mental health professionals should not tell gay clients they can become straight through therapy or other treatments, says the American Psychological Association in a press statement released on Aug 5.
The "Resolution on Appropriate Affirmative Responses to Sexual Orientation Distress and Change Efforts" also advises that parents, guardians, young people and their families avoid sexual orientation treatments that portray homosexuality as a mental illness or developmental disorder and instead seek psychotherapy, social support and educational services "that provide accurate information on sexual orientation and sexuality, increase family and school support and reduce rejection of sexual minority youth."
"Contrary to claims of sexual orientation change advocates and practitioners, there is insufficient evidence to support the use of psychological interventions to change sexual orientation," said Judith M. Glassgold, chairwoman of the task force that presented the report.
"At most, certain studies suggested that some individuals learned how to ignore or not act on their homosexual attractions. Yet, these studies did not indicate for whom this was possible, how long it lasted or its long-term mental health effects. Also, this result was much less likely to be true for people who started out only attracted to people of the same sex."
The association said some research suggested that efforts to produce change could be harmful, inducing depression and suicidal tendencies.
The 6-member task force examined the peer-reviewed journal articles in English from 1960 to 2007, which included 83 studies. Most of the studies were conducted before 1978, and only a few had been conducted in the last 10 years. The group also reviewed the recent literature on the psychology of sexual orientation.
"Unfortunately, much of the research in the area of sexual orientation change contains serious design flaws," Glassgold said. "Few studies could be considered methodologically sound and none systematically evaluated potential harms."
The association urged proponents of reparative therapy (also known as the ex-gay movement), many of whom are known to be aligned with Christian-based beliefs or groups, to consider multiple options, which could include celibacy and switching churches, for helping clients live spiritually rewarding lives in instances where their sexual orientation and religious faith conflict.
Two of the largest organisations in the world promoting reparative therapy are Focus on the Family through its Love Won Out programme and Exodus International with an affliated network of groups internationally whose chief message is “freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ.”
Rev Steve Parelli (right) and his partner of 12 years Jose Ortiz are slated to give two talks about Christianity and homosexuality in Cheras, Malaysia and Bangkok on Aug 13 and Aug 28 respectively.
Speaking with Fridae in Singapore where he is on a Southeast Asian tour speaking tour and meeting with evangelical churches, Rev Parelli highlighted that the evangelical ex-gay movement in fact "does not, in the fine print, claim to change sexual orientation."
"To be clear, the evangelical ex-gay movement uses catch words like 'ex-gay,' 'healing,' 'coming out of homosexuality.' But it is a bait-and-switch sell. Upon close examination of what the evangelical ex-gay movement teaches, any one who will give a simple read of their major writings will see that the evangelical ex-gay movement is teaching 'behaviour modification' not change of one's sexual orientation. The evangelical 'ex-gay' leaders teach in their writings that the 'change' they are talking about is a life-long process that involves multiple disciplines from accountability to rigorous spiritual disciplines.
"This is obviously not change," says Rev Parelli who is the Executive Director of Other Sheep, a worldwide volunteer, non-profit ecumenical Christian organisation with a mission to empower sexual minorities.
Glassgold's advice: "We recommend that psychologists be completely honest about the likelihood of sexual orientation change, and that they help clients explore their assumptions and goals with respect to both religion and sexuality."
A copy of the task force report may be obtained from http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbc/publications/therapeutic-response.pdf.
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Dear Sylvia, could I have your permission to link this article to my weblog?
At the heart of Christian thinking is the notion that the Christian God gives people a choice to do good or bad. So, if homosexually is bad (and the bible says it is) then, ergo, people must have chosen it.
A few Christian sects will mitigate our evil choice by allowing that homosexuality may be a psychological problem, or that the homosexual is not fully aware of their crime against god, or even that they have been possessed by gay demon. But ultimately they believe we are crimes against god and nature and could be cured if only we were prepared to fight hard enough against it.
If their logic seems bizarrely circuitous then you have to remember that many of the people in these sects have spent a life time explaining away the inconsistencies of the bible, and basting in the illogicalities of faith. After all if they can believe in the bible’s myriad of petty miracles, then believing that homosexuality is a conscious choice to spit in the face of their special friend in the sky, is only a small step.
Religion is a major source of the hate and bigotry in th world, and as the many religious wars, pogroms and sectarian outrages in history have shown, Christianity has the proven capacity to turn that hate into death and domination. Therefore it behooves us all to stare down the religiously obsessed and diminish the potential for oppression while we can.
For a quick look at the contradictions within the bible go to: http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/donald_morgan/inconsistencies.html. And bear in mind that this web site isn’t about pitting god against science, or god against logic, it simply pits inconsistencies in the bible against each other.
August 13 at 8pm they will be talking about the fallacy of ex-gay or conversion therapy at the MCCM center in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. For further inquiry, call +60163055590.
They re-stated the long known fact that sexual orientation is innate, not that any particular behaviour is (and btw such behaviour applies to many heterosexuals as well).
That it's innate is hardly news. What they did underline (perhaps given the market that currently exists for quacks, "faith healers" and even exorcists exploiting and harming the vulnerable) is the potential destructiveness and proven ineffectiveness of so-called "ex-gay" therapy. It is effectively a warning that anyone who claims to be able to change a gay person into a straight person (or vice versa I suppose) is misleading you. But it does also take into account, and suggest options for, people who feel conflicted because of a particular religious view.
Where did you get your inside "info" about this task force? The Christian Post, Focus on the Family, their partner Narth, or some similar organisation? And even if some or all were gay, why would that invalidate their findings? Or are you challenging their professionalism? Good luck in Court.
Anyway, it's not only the APA. Do you believe all the other professional psychological bodies in the world that support this view (I think it's all of them) are also part of a vast conspiracy of gay people?
"I'm Daniel Gonzales, a former patient of "ex-gay" therapist Joe Nicolosi. At age 18 I tried to "cure" myself of my gayness and only succeeded in spending thousands of dollars and losing my faith in the process. This is my story of reparative therapy."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDn7cEgxvtg
For resources/ research on this topic funded by the Wellcome Trust (a major medical foundation in the UK) see:
http://www.treatmentshomosexuality.org.uk/index.html
"The website is about use of so-called "treatments" that aim to make homosexual people heterosexual. It arose from research funded by the Wellcome Trust from 2001 to 2004 into the oral history of such treatments in Britain since 1950.
Treatments to change a person's sexuality are unethical and may be damaging. This is because we have known for many years that homosexuality is not a disorder. Nor is there any evidence that any such "treatments" are effective. If you listen to the BBC debate with Dr Jospeh Nicolosi (NARTH) on our Interviews page you will hear the evidence (or lack of it) discussed. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association explicitly warns against so-called reparative therapy that attempts to make gay people straight...."
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