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APA setting things straight!

trekkiedane

Admiral
Admiral
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE THAT SEXUAL ORIENTATION CHANGE EFFORTS WORK, SAYS APA

Practitioners Should Avoid Telling Clients They Can Change from Gay to Straight
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."
APA press release

All there's left now is to make sure this 'news' is also circulated amongst the quacks!

"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."
 
Well, that's going to be helpful, of course, but it will meet with much resistance. There are certain sub-cultures that obsess over Homosexuality and they will not give up their crusade quickly or easily.
 
Well, that's going to be helpful, of course, but it will meet with much resistance. There are certain sub-cultures that obsess over Homosexuality and they will not give up their crusade quickly or easily.

True. Fortunately, amongst that group are many Christians who have begun to see the odd obsession with homosexuality that the mainstream church has had, and are turning around in that aspect of their faith. This is good. Several others, including myself, have been working to educate Christians who are curious about gay people. It is my mission to see that only the truth, not spin, not obfuscation, is shown. The more we teach people (and that includes other groups who are against homosexuality), the more people will come to understand that being gay is not a disease, it's not a stigma, and it is completely acceptable. It may not happen overnight, but it will happen. Mark my words.

J.
 
I don't understand. Robert Heath demonstrated some thirty years back that if one electrically stimulates the septal region of the homosexual subject's brain over the course of several hours and then places the subject in the same room as a female prostitute, that he will (eventually) have sex with her.
 
I'll wait until the MLA comes out with their opinion. Seriously why does the APA have a style guide? Anywho. I definitely think they are in error as to this issue.
 
^^ Why is that?

Fortunately, amongst that group are many Christians who have begun to see the odd obsession with homosexuality that the mainstream church has had, and are turning around in that aspect of their faith.
You're right. Even my Mother, who is a 68-year-old conservative Catholic, has changed her opinions about Gays and Gay Rights.

I don't understand. Robert Heath demonstrated some thirty years back that if one electrically stimulates the septal region of the homosexual subject's brain over the course of several hours and then places the subject in the same room as a female prostitute, that he will (eventually) have sex with her.
Of course, it was a temporary change that lasted only as long as his brain was being electrically controlled. And other researchers have done the same thing in reverse. Other reactions that have been invoked by direct electrical stimulation of the brain include bliss, total recall and homicidal rage.
 
I don't understand. Robert Heath demonstrated some thirty years back that if one electrically stimulates the septal region of the homosexual subject's brain over the course of several hours and then places the subject in the same room as a female prostitute, that he will (eventually) have sex with her.
Of course, it was a temporary change that lasted only as long as his brain was being electrically controlled. And other researchers have done the same thing in reverse. Other reactions that have been invoked by direct electrical stimulation of the brain include bliss, total recall and homicidal rage.

Thank you! I was reading that and getting enraged, myself (maybe someone was electrically stimulating my brain.)

I'm hoping Rii was being facetious in implying that was a valid study or a suggestion for a viable "treatment".

Not that I need the APA to confirm it, but there is nothing wrong with me or those like me, and I don't need to be "fixed", thank you very much. :scream:

I feel better now, thank you.
 
Not entirely, I didn't know there'd been experiments done in the other direction. :lol:
 
^^ Why is that?
Because I've seen it happen. It may not be possible with every person, but I definitely think it can happen. If it doesn't work (which I definitely think happens in the majority of cases) I think the best course of action for someone who is gay is to work on eliminating sexual thought and be celibate.
 
I'm hoping Rii was being facetious in implying that was a valid study or a suggestion for a viable "treatment".

Yes. :lol:

I had a feeling. :lol:

^^ Why is that?
Because I've seen it happen. It may not be possible with every person, but I definitely think it can happen. If it doesn't work (which I definitely think happens in the majority of cases) I think the best course of action for someone who is gay is to work on eliminating sexual thought and be celibate.

I had a feeling. :scream:

I think this is probably headed for TNZ.
 
Not entirely, I didn't know there'd been experiments done in the other direction. :lol:
Yeah, there's been a lot of weird Human experiments in the past. The guy you mentioned was involved in a bunch of experiments involving prison inmates and black people, in addition to the one you mentioned. It's pretty creepy.

^^ Why is that?
Because I've seen it happen. It may not be possible with every person, but I definitely think it can happen. If it doesn't work (which I definitely think happens in the majority of cases) I think the best course of action for someone who is gay is to work on eliminating sexual thought and be celibate.
What you've seen is Homosexuals living in a religious environment who are made to feel terrified and ashamed of what they are, and who are thus motivated to repress and deny their nature to avoid being hated and ostracized. That-- as well as working on eliminating sexual thought-- can only lead to misery and likely mental illness.
 
You're right. Even my Mother, who is a 68-year-old conservative Catholic, has changed her opinions about Gays and Gay Rights.

Which is magnificent!
My 53 year old mother, who is a devout Protestant of the Non-Denom/Pentecostal variant, has done the same.

J.
 
What you've seen is Homosexuals living in a religious environment who are made to feel terrified and ashamed of what they are, and who are thus motivated to repress and deny their nature to avoid being hated and ostracized. That-- as well as working on eliminating sexual thought-- can only lead to misery and likely mental illness.
Actually that couldn't be further from the truth!
 
What you've seen is Homosexuals living in a religious environment who are made to feel terrified and ashamed of what they are, and who are thus motivated to repress and deny their nature to avoid being hated and ostracized. That-- as well as working on eliminating sexual thought-- can only lead to misery and likely mental illness.
Actually that couldn't be further from the truth!

Yes and no.


Yes: Many gay people are made to feel ashamed and are terrified to come out of the closet, for fear of retribution. I have seen it far too many times, and since my ministry deals with the subject of homosexuality, I get all of this information from the actual people involved. It can be brutal, and it can be the loneliest feeling in the world. I have been in churches where the Pastor says that he would personally kick a gay man right out the door, and that the gay man should feel lucky that's all he did. I've been in churches where the Reverend has said that any gay person in the congregation should come forward to be healed, or leave the church, because they wouldn't tolerate the sin. I have seen some of the methods by which ministries try to "cure" gay people. I have handwritten accounts from people who have been "cured", only to succumb shortly thereafter, and I know the terrible pain in all of it, several of them attempting suicide because of the rift between them and the church, between them and their families.


No: Not every church is like that. Some churches welcome them anyway in the hopes they will change. Other churches accept them as they are. The hardest part is the families, whether they will love these people, or whether they cast them out. Unfortunately, I have stories from both sides, and it's terribly sad.


J.
 
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