British Medical Association labels gay conversion therapy harmful, discredited
Religion & Science Sunday, July 4th, 2010
Following a year-long undercover investigation by a reporter, the British Medical Association has determined that “gay conversion therapy” is not therapy, is more harmful to patients than helpful, and should be banned.
Journalist Patrick Strudwick posed as a patient seeking “gay conversion therapy” or “reparative therapy” for a year. In his report on his experience, he described what amounted to psychological torture; Strudwick went to two conversion therapists. One, a Christian, focused on turning him to focus on her god and tried hard to convince Strudwick he’d been sexually abused. The other focused on explaining to Strudwick that he was somehow “wounded”, and that he had to find the source of those “wounds” to discover the roots of his sexuality.
Both of these “therapists” were licensed and receiving funds via the NHS. Strudwick learned that they use methods created by Joseph Nicolosi, the Christian Evangelical American founder of the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality.
The British Medical Association has determined that such “therapies” have been discredited, are damaging to patient, and should be banned. The Association’s membership further agreed that the NHS should investigate any cases of such conversion therapies, and terminate any public funding to such practices.
Tom Dolphin, vice-chair of BMA’s junior doctors committee, proposed the motion. “Sexuality is such a fundamental part of who a person is, that attempts to change it just result in significant confusion, depression and even suicide. You can’t just wish away same-sex attraction no matter how inconvenient it might be,” says Dolphin.
Strudwick commented on the successful motion, “My undercover investigation for The Independent, which prompted this motion, highlighted the fact that not only are psychiatrists and psychotherapists still peddling these abhorrent techniques, but that in some cases the NHS are paying for it.
“Hopefully, anyone involved in the so-called treatment of homosexuality will realize that the medical profession considers them dangerous charlatans, and will reconsider their beliefs. I also sincerely hope that any vulnerable gay person who is unhappy about their sexuality takes notice of this motion and realizes that it is the world that needs to change, not them.”
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Mike Daniels is co-editor of Secular News Daily.You can follow comments on this article through the RSS Comment Feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
Being gay is completely acceptable to me. I totally support their lifestyles.
Some gay people (myself included) would find 'I totally support their lifestyles.' as offensive even if thats not the intent. Our lifestyles are no different.
Liar! You're clearly in a different world to "normal" straight people! Silly delusional "gays"!!
Also to clarify, this is sarcasm.
Our lifestyles are no different is a flat out lie.
Ronoman, you ignorant fool. Look in a dictionary for once in your life. Here's the first one for free:
lifestyle: a manner of living that reflects the person's values and attitudes
Going out a lot and seeing live music – that's a lifestyle.
Being rich and driving flash cars – that's a lifestyle.
Bunking up with a family and spending your days exploring new recipes – that's a lifestyle.
Going around spewing bigoted remarks because you're an utter tool – that's a lifestyle
Having a lot of sex – that's a lifestyle.
Who you have sex with – NOT A LIFESTYLE YOU UNENDURABLE CRETIN
Part of my values include having sex with women – that's for certain. I don't have sex, I have sex with women. I like to be that specific.
I'll supplement this.
Going out a lot and seeing live music – that's a lifestyle.
Going out a lot and <activity> – that's a lifestyle
<activity> can be replaced by <looking at boobs>
Being rich and driving flash cars – that's a lifestyle.
Being <a description of a person> and <activity>
<a description of a person> can be replaced by <a guy>
<activity> can be replaced by <giving head>
Although my favourite part of your little rant is the part where you need a dictionary to tell you what something is and then take it literally word for word. Use your street smarts, dude.
Furthermore, who are you to say that a value doesn't pertain to the gender of a person? I love my mother, she's a woman. I love women. Part of my values include respecting women, being friends with them, and occasionally sleeping with them. The same can go for another man who does the same with other men.
What you're attempting to do is use a printed and accepted model of information, the Dictionary, to belittle a person's (Ronoman88's) views on the world and himself.
And lastly, why must you be so rude? So rash? For shame.
Yeah, of course you'd like that to be specific, because even as an anonymous internet name you are still a raging homophobe who would kill himself if someone thought he might be gay.
I just can't answer you. You're obviously one of those guys that doesn't realise what a bigot he is, but almost everything you just said reveals your prejudice.
"who are you to say that a value doesn't pertain to the gender of a person?"
Well, I was born after 1920, for a start.
Although I must admit a mistake of my own. Who you have sex with can be a lifestyle. For example if you don't know their names, or you do it with a lot of drugs, then that can be a lifestyle. I should have said:
The gender of your sex partners – not a lifestyle.
Just out of curiosity, where do you stand on the whole curing homosexulaity thing?
what is more offensive to you, his intent or the word he use? as long as his intent is understood there is no reason to be offended nor calling him out on it. Do you find a racist more acceptable if he used all the politically right word to insult someone or someone who unintentionally use a term that happens to be racist but does not mean it in a racist way.
Being straight is completely acceptable to me. I totally support their lifestyles, except for the part where some of them expect everyone to be straight just like them. And the part where they get a tax break for being married, and gay people aren't allowed to marry, and some of them see nothing wrong with that. And the part where some of them don't think gays should be in the military.
Other than that, though, they're mostly ok.
Agreed. My lifestyle involves seeing women I barely know for not very long periods of time for various reasons – chiefly that women seem to think I'm a bit strange and don't hang around long. My brother, on the other hand, has been in a committed relationship with a high-maintenance firebrand for six years. We're both straight, but I'd wager my lifestyle has more in common with some gay men than with my brother, and that his has more in common with some other gay men than with me.
It's not a lifestyle, and it's not a choice. If it was I'd be gay in a shot – I get more attention from gay men than from women. And they're far less crazy too, being men (Har!).
Do you think there are any therapy alternatives for turning straight men gay?
lol! Excellent point. I've actually known a heterophobic person. He wasn't very happy as he put off a large piece of the population.
The only way I can imagine this is if a whack-job couple from a gay community decided to purify the world of cooties from the opposing gender.
I dunno, madcaphal. Most gay men don’t like to date assholes either.
I would like to live in a world where I needn't care who adds meaning to your life. Unfortunately, our gay brothers, sisters, sons and daughters need us to confront bigotry, they need me to step forward and defend their right to a meaningful personal life.
Civil rights are still not secure in the United States.
Ah yes, that's it. Few of you have a sense of humour.
Well, why all the excitement and heat? Lifestyle is not the point here. Sexuality is something you do not chose. It's about you and what you are. Even though the world might tell different. Besides that evolution is not planned. It happened and chose all kinds of possibilities. Many people don't want to believe that and still say that the lifestyle is harmful. But what really harmful is, is their denial of other peoples happiness and well being.
If you are not allowed to accept yourself, than it is likely that this person suffers and develops mental disorders like depression. I myself grew up with a lot of gay people and although I noticed a difference, acceptation was never a question. Only when the outside world tries to impose views and believes; it becomes stressful. And so I came to the conclusion already at a very young age that most of the time people try to exclude, change or impose things on others. But if they would let the other be, it would not change anything in their personal lives. Some wisdom is live and let be. Why because everyone wants the same security; that he does not have to deny himself. No one gets harmed.
Thoughts are as powerful as dangerous. Nurture and culture are strong factors; but it also means that once you look around in the world, much of the ideas and believes are shattered. We don't live in Utopia and we have to deal with the knowledge that science reveals to us more and more. And that knowledge showed a different picture than that we have told each other for centuries. So being gay is nothing more than a diversity of life and at least one that isn't harmful to others. Like every normal respectable person isn't harmful to others.
Posting comments to articles on the internet is the lamest thing ever. Completely pointless. I'm only doing this because I'm drunk. What's your excuse? Get a life and go live it, losers.
You're long winded comments are a pathetic and feign attempt at trying to gain the attention of other people that wouldn't do so otherwise. You would be better off killing yourself, at least one person outside of the internet might care.
BTW, Don't reply to this because there's no point. I will never check this ever again.
This guy clearly doesn't have a job. My excuse is that I'm bored at work.