Programs to change gays to straights don't work, report says

[U-said-it]

(CNN) -- The American Psychological Association concluded Wednesday that there is little evidence that efforts to change a person's sexual orientation from gay or lesbian to heterosexual are effective.



The report looks at 87 studies conducted between 1960 and 2007.

In addition, the 138-page report -- covering 87 peer-reviewed studies -- said that such efforts may cause harm.

"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 the group's annual meeting in Toronto, Canada. The Washington-based association represents more than 150,000 members.

Only the religous fundies hold on to the ignorant idea that sexual preference is a choice. I can't believe people still deny this.


-Full Article-

[Specially Cork]

They're just being stubborn.

[DaMadFiddler]

Did they remember to convert from metric?

[Stormwatch]

The metric system is the tool of the devil! My car gets 40 rods to the hogshead and that's the way I likes it.

[Stryfe]

Did they remember to convert from metric?

lol

[mrandyk]

I dont get why it bothers so many people that gay people are out there.

[Zealous zerotype]

Evil

[Quzar]

Well, to be fair, it's not like they're abducting gays and forcing them into these programs. The people do it to themselves. What they should do is simply realize that they should be transexual. Only women are attracted to men, hence if john q public is attracted to men, he must simply be a woman. Problem solved.

[Christuserloeser]

Why do you think that "only women are attracted to men" ?! - Afaik the very definition of 'being gay' is that a man is attracted to other men, or a woman is attracted to other women. Being transexual is an entirely different thing altogether.

[Stormwatch]

Whoosh.

[U-said-it]

Being transexual is an entirely different thing altogether.

Ditto

[Quzar]

Why do you think that "only women are attracted to men" ?! - Afaik the very definition of 'being gay' is that a man is attracted to other men, or a woman is attracted to other women. Being transexual is an entirely different thing altogether.

I'm well aware of all this. The people trying to enter these programs want to fix themselves. According to their world view only men and women can be attracted to one another and anything else is a mental disorder (SSAD - Same Sex Attraction Disorder). Hence, if they cannot reverse their attraction (as this report claims the programs are failing) the only other solution is to reverse their sex.

[U-said-it]

According to their world view only men and women can be attracted to one another and anything else is a mental disorder (SSAD - Same Sex Attraction Disorder).

Via the story link:

Though all mainstream health and mental health organizations concluded years ago that homosexuality is not a mental disorder, the American Psychological Association formed the task force to work on the report two years ago after noting a resurgence of groups that identified homosexuality as a defect or spiritual or moral failing.

As far as I know, The American Psychiatric Association ( APA) removed ego-syntonic (comfortable with orientation) homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1973.

[Quzar]

According to their world view only men and women can be attracted to one another and anything else is a mental disorder (SSAD - Same Sex Attraction Disorder).

Via the story link:

Though all mainstream health and mental health organizations concluded years ago that homosexuality is not a mental disorder, the American Psychological Association formed the task force to work on the report two years ago after noting a resurgence of groups that identified homosexuality as a defect or spiritual or moral failing.

As far as I know, The American Psychiatric Association ( APA) removed ego-syntonic (comfortable with orientation) homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1973.

Please reread what I wrote. The 'they' in my 'their world view' is the people who run these de-gayifing programs. These people, typically affiliated with religious organizations, are not considered to be in the mainstream of mental health organizations. As for the name they attach to the disorder, since the APA has removed ego-syntonic homosexuality, in order to be not entirely mocked but instead claim to controversy these organizations claim instead that the gays have SSAD (I had the acronym wrong, it's Attachment not attraction).

It was a joke based on the beliefs of these fringe people. They feel that being gay is a sin because only men and women should be together. If, as the report claims, they are failing to change the sex that people are attracted to, logically their only other option would be to change those peoples sex. 'Eliminate homosexuality via compulsory sex changes'

Lets try one more time, to make sure this gets through. I in no way believe that only men can be attracted to women. This is the view of organizations who run programs such as those described in this article. I in no way believe that homosexuality is equivalent to transexuality in any way.

Again: 'problem': men are attracted to other men (oh noes!). Solution 1: Make them not be attracted to other men. FAILED. 'Obviously' the only other solution is to make them not men.