Newsflash: Can't turn gay straight
Karol Collymore
Guess what, everyone? No matter how hard one tries, there is no turning a gay person straight:
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. No solid evidence exists that such change is likely, says the resolution, adopted by a 125-to-4 vote. The association said some research suggested that efforts to produce change could be harmful, inducing depression and suicidal tendencies.
Now we might have to start dealing with people as they are...whaddaya say?
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Aug 6, '09
Too many people think they know how everyone should be and aren't willing face the reality of a diverse world. This won't change many minds but it's one more step on the road.
Aug 7, '09
It's gonna take a lot more than the APA to undue the years of indoctrination most gay haters have endured.
Aug 7, '09
Many within the psych profession still believe it should be DSM'd as a mental illness or adjustment disorder, still. And these are not fringed-out nutjobs. The psych establishment, the part of it we all call family and friends, are still divided up! This is a great start: it is akin to the first substantive pickaxe blow to the Berlin Wall, a small shower of chunks delivered into waiting hands.
Aug 7, '09
I have totally no problem at all to deal with what people are! Actually, I like it that way! Being open is the most healthiest thing you have to do in the relationship either with friends, family, or even kids. It's what keeps the tie strong after all.
It's the right time to say "No gay therapy" because it doesn't work anyway in real lives!
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!
Aug 8, '09
Hi Carol,
Criticisms of a certain Potty Monitor of the Universe who wrote a pseudo-comedic diatribe against Adams in support of the recall movement are apparently barred from the site. So I hope it doesn't hurt his precious feelings if I take this to another gays vs. gay bashers discussion.
Comparisons of Adams' personal peccadillos to Richard Nixon's gang rape of the United States Constitution is not idiotic hyperbole?
And the propensity of the terminally sanctimonious to exaggerate, in both kind and degree is exactly my point about the prissy-prudes, this whole tempest in a tea cup and, yes above all about you.
Except you are a comedian and distortion of dysfunctional situations into mocking public commentary is your job. So personally, I will give you a pass. You probably have some naughty things in your closet you don't want outed. Maybe when some former roommate comedian drags out your old laundry and calls it material you will be hurt too. Or will you be man enough to say, well, that's just showbiz?
Jokes about Adams are open season now. But there ain't a damn thing funny about joining the bigots in a recall crusade. Since you obviously know nothing about political history, I highly recommend you stick to your slapstick and quit trying to play straight man to your inner straight man.
Yes, the recall campaigners are either blatant bigots or latent bigot-bedfellows (hmmm, irony in that one.)
I repeat, I will never get in league with a right-wing based moral crusade. The Republicans, homophobes and Sizemore types had the long knives out for Sam from day one.
I will not join issue with them period.
When you support the recall you are adding fuel to the fires of those who are sharpening their pitch-forks and oiling up their torches for the town halls.
When you support the recall you are building Lars Larson's ratings.
Happily, a certain comic of dubious talents might stand to milk this for a little pub his own self.
Note this. Maybe funnyman can get on fatmouth's program and work a little pitch or nine for his next show into that comedic two hours. If he hasn't already.
I am capable of being embarrassed, both by and for Sam Adams. I am not capable of being embarrassed by or for a comic hack; even one with a deadpan (bed pan more like it) filled with moralistic sound and blarny- signifying less than nothing.
This piquant brand of humor- trying to pass off homophobic self-righteousness as comedy has a certain historic, if not historonic cache.
We haven't seen that schtick around here for a long time.
Billy boy, schtick to what you do best and don't quit your no doubt lucrative sit-down gig in Vegas to try for a job as a political consultant.
Aug 9, '09
But...
Contributing to a church or temple that uses your money to demonize gays and lesbians and take away our basic civil rights (for notably silly, supernatural "reasons") - that actually IS a choice.
And leaving St. Andrews and Holy Family and Holy This n' That until they quit funding religious prejudice; i.e., turning yourself into a responsible citizen unwilling to harm many of your equally human neighbors, co-workers and friends - that is possible!
You can do it - you, too, can become an "ex-bigot-funder" today...