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 association’s governing council, and in an accompanying report, the association issued its most comprehensive repudiation of so-called reparative therapy, a concept espoused by a small but persistent group of therapists, often allied with religious conservatives, who maintain that gay men and lesbians can change.
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The report breaks 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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“Both sides have to educate themselves better," Ms. Glassgold said. “The religious psychotherapists have to open up their eyes to the potential positive aspects of being gay or lesbian. Secular therapists have to recognize that some people will choose their faith over their sexuality.”
Good, but not surprising news, indeed.
Promoted from the comments:
Obie Holmen has left a new comment on your post "Gay "Reparative Therapy" Doesn't Work":
Al was an old-timer in my Lutheran congregation in Lake Woebegone country of central Minnesota who had been raised Catholic but became Lutheran when he married Lois. He had received his elementary education in a Stearns County parochial school taught by nuns in full habit way back in the dust bowl days of the thirties.
“Whack”, he said as he jerked the ruler in his left hand. “Whack”, he said again, demonstrating how the nuns would slap him on his left hand when they would catch him scribing his abc’s with the wrong hand. “I would do my best with my right hand,” he said, “but I couldn’t help it, I always went back to my natural left hand.” With a laugh, Al wrote his name in chunky block letters with his right hand before signing in flowing strokes with his left hand.
Here is an analogy that I included in my own blogpost on the APA report:
ReplyDeleteAl was an old-timer in my Lutheran congregation in Lake Woebegone country of central Minnesota who had been raised Catholic but became Lutheran when he married Lois. He had received his elementary education in a Stearns County parochial school taught by nuns in full habit way back in the dust bowl days of the thirties.
“Whack”, he said as he jerked the ruler in his left hand. “Whack”, he said again, demonstrating how the nuns would slap him on his left hand when they would catch him scribing his abc’s with the wrong hand. “I would do my best with my right hand,” he said, “but I couldn’t help it, I always went back to my natural left hand.” With a laugh, Al wrote his name in chunky block letters with his right hand before signing in flowing strokes with his left hand.
Thanks for your blogpost.
IMO, the APA was not strong enough in stating the harm 'reparative therapy' causes. This will rile the bible thumpers anyway. There was no need to try to appease them.
ReplyDeleteObie, I love your "left-handed Al" analogy.
ReplyDeleteMike, I agree. The statement is rather weak. But they're getting there. Reality will force them.
It's true that some will choose their religion over their sexuality, and we shouldn't forget that. However, when gays or lesbians go so far as to marry persons of the opposite sex and try to live false straight lives, it's so often to the detriment not only of themselves, but of the spouse.
Dunno if you've been to my blog, Mimi. I put up a video made by someone who was violated by an ex-gay ministry. Check it out.
ReplyDeletehello from the APA convention! I'll bet that we are having more fun than you all had in Anaheim last month!
ReplyDeleteGreat decision, eh? One of my instructors is on the Council and was able to cast a vote for this resolution. Need to find him and say thanks.
The funny thing about this decision at this convention is that there hasn't been a lot of talk here about it - it was just assumed that it would pass because it was the right thing. No real protests even (though they were expected). There were a couple of guys with handwritten signs (repent, and other related messages) out on Front Street in front of the Convention Center (centre?) earlier today I heard, but I never saw them. The only thing I saw out there all day were the canteen trucks selling hotdogs and falafel.
Wouldn't it be nice if at church conventions it could also be assumed that the right thing would be done and thus be a non-issue? Of course I am proud of the APA for this decision.
The big topic here remains finding a way to push for the Council to draw up rules that no psychologist can ever help the government torture. The medical association has so far been unable to stop physicians from participating in executions, perhaps we can stop psychologists from helping in torture.
I'm off to see Toronto's Chinatown now. It is a full day of presentations here tomorrow and I have to rest my eyes before the PowerPoint projectors start again. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate PowerPoint?
And when I get home I still have a million boxes left to unpack from the move!
Dennis, since you are an expert, and your comment is so good, I bumped it up to a post.
ReplyDelete