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Can't Force Gays to Become Straight: APA

 
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Mental health professionals shouldn't tell gay and lesbian patients they can become heterosexual through therapy or other treatments, the American Psychological Association stated Wednesday.

The group said there's no evidence that so-called reparative therapy is effective and some research suggests that it could cause harm by bringing on depression and suicidal tendencies, the Associated Press reported. Reparative therapy is advocated by a small number of therapists, often allied with religious conservatives.

Instead of trying to force gays and lesbians to become straight, mental health professionals should consider other options, such as celibacy and changing churches, for gay and lesbian patients whose sexual orientation conflicts with their religious faith, the APA advised.

This approach on counseling gays and lesbians was outlined in a report that was endorsed by the APA's governing council, the AP reported.

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EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Thank god they finally realize this! Everybody knows being gay is innate. It's like what we always here that "We can't change who we are." It's like a skin color or ethnicity. It's with you since the moment you're born.
If we can change gay to straight, how about straight to gay? That must be a mess!

http://www.newsy.com/videos/apa_rules_out_gay_conversion_therapy


The expert in the vdo says that the therapy can only change patient's behavior, not their sexual desire. It teaches patients to basically control their sexual desire. Once patients are confident to believe in their control, they are misled to think that they're recovered when they're actually not!

August 7, 2009 - 2:40pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I do hope that the report advises psychologists to refer such clients to religious leaders who affirm sexual and gender diversity as part of God's blessings, who can help them explore alternative understandings of seemingly homophobic sacred texts, and to understand that there are religious communities where they would be fully welcome and included. I work with people struggling with these issues all the time, and it often takes only a few sessions with a clergy person for people to feel affirmed and welcome. There have been many times where simply telling someone that I know that God loves them just the way they are...and that there are many denominations and religious leaders who feel that way...helps them reach self-acceptance.

No one should ever have to choose between their sexuality and their religion -- or vice versa. I hope the final APA report says that as well.

Rev. Debra Haffner
http://debrahaffner.blogspot.com

August 7, 2009 - 6:34am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

It is no wonder our young people are confused by the brainwashing inflicted on them by various groups in the Patriarchal system. Children being conditioned that gay and lesbian are the normal and straight being not normal- and then the Catholic Cult saying gay and lesbain are not normal, yet many priests are gay.

People need to wake up and realise that this DELIBERATE causing of confusion in the minds of young people is what keeps the children under the control of the system.It is so much easier to simply teach children to accept people as they are and their sexuality is no ones business but their own.

By forcing gays and lesbains to become straight and straight to become gay and lesbian is the oldest con of this controlling system. All it is doing is keeping people busy worrying about what is normal in society instead of what feels right for them as individuals.

The old system wants the sheep to be all the same- good little sheep following the master without question and remaining stuck in the prison of their minds.

The psychiatric profession is the new church cult, designed to carry on the work of the old priests, and making money by selling mind altering drugs to young people for the depression created by the system and not by the individual.

Like in the Medieval times, the obsession is with sex, and not love.

Not long now till we have open witch trials again- and people carted off to mental institutions to be given drugs as a method of torture. All the time making money from the misery of others- the system deliberately creates the misery and then charges us to try and fix it. How evil is that. Notice Evil spelt backwards is Live.

August 7, 2009 - 12:59am
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