You can purchase an autographed copy of Anything But Straight by sending a $35 check or money order to:
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Wayne Besen
PO Box 25491
Brooklyn, NY 11202
I will be on the Michaelangelo Signorile Show on Sirius Satellite radio at 4:30PM today. We will be discussing the idiotic new therapy guidelines by Dr. Warren Throckmorton and a few misguided gay activists.
1) The "self" does not determine sexual orientation, so the notion of client self determination is a joke. It is more like self-deception - so it is not clear why a therapist would assist in this process. Equally ridiculous would be "therapy" to change skin color or height under the guise of "self-determination." If there is no chance for a successful outcome, engaging in such practices amounts to bilking clients.
2) The notion that a therapist should "meet a client where they are at" on this issue nonsense. There is a reason a client feels so ashamed that they will go to the extreme of rejecting sexual pleasure and the potential for genuine love. It is because of harmful conditioning - often at the hands of preachers. A therapist's goal should be to reduce the debilitating shame - thus defusing the internal conflict. To participate in "shame management" is quackery.
3) Those who promote this "compromise" are compromising the health of clients - particularly young people. The gay rights movement has always been based on the simple message: "Gay is OK." These shallow therapy guidelines essentially say - if you wrap your self-loathing in the cloak of religion, it is fine. This gives too much deference to religion. In light of the fact that religion has been wrong on basically every major issue regarding minorities - faith has earned no such exemption from rational debate. Religion-based bigotry has no place in legitimate therapy.
4) Dr. Warren Throckmorton, an extremist and intellectual lightweight who once shot an anti-gay video "I Do Exist" that featured an exorcist, is behind these "guidelines." He has yet to write a book or conduct a study of merit that makes him a legitimate voice in this debate. His main claim to fame is his hateful video which begins with shots of adult bookstores - used to signify gay life. His second claim to fame is his vanity blog - which is hardly scientific scholarship. Finally, he claims to have counseled 250 gay people - yet, he can't get a handful of people on record to say his therapy worked. Throckmorton works for a college, so, he clearly has the resources to conduct a meaningful study - but that may cut into his blogging hobby. Far from the voice of reason, as he likes to present himself, he is an unaccomplished right wing therapist who has yet to explain why gay people must be counseled. Why not just help people come out of the closet and actually have a shot at being happy?
5) If a client told his therapist that he was smoking at the crack house, the therapist would advise he leave the building. But, if a client is gravely harmed by a religious crackpot - these guidelines say it is just fine. Actually, a therapist should work to reduce harm with any addiction, which includes moving a client away from destructive religious influences. Sorry, religion does not get a pass.
6) Gay affirming therapy works. Shame-supportive therapy will not. The idea that a lifetime of celibacy is a worthy therapeutic goal is a silly idea, promoted by people who are clearly getting their own needs met. This is about selfish, hedonistic, dogmatic ideologues, asking other people to lead lonely lives that they themselves would not choose to lead. Pure solipsism of the worst order.
6 Comments:
I haven't seen the related material, so I am only going on Wayne's reportage. The self determining sexual orientation is another way of say that it is chosen. Of course, none of them would every really say that heterosexuality is chosen, so, in this context, it is only another way of saying heterosexuality is not chosen and therefore normal, while homsexuality is chosen and therefore abnormal. I would, of course, go a stp further and say it doesn't matter whether gay or straight is chosen or not chosen. It's none of the business of any therapist, government official, or church member what exactly it is that makes my dick hard, nor is it the business of anyone else to determine what is "right" for me. that's my business.As long as i am a happy, healthy, productive, and contriobuting member of osciety-- which I am-- that is ALL that should matter to anyone else.
posted by Anonymous, at
6/21/2007 3:18 PM
I too am tired of people having to walk on eggshells with other peoples' "deeply held religious beliefs"--if it's harmful, oppressive bullshit, it should be treated that way! Red V
posted by Anonymous, at
6/21/2007 4:47 PM
The reps of the right wing religious tyranny are very skilled at code language and double speak. I believe that has been the secret to their success and why they have been able to bilk hundreds of millions of dollars from their flocks. Throckmorton himself is just another version of the same thing: use religion to oppress and instill shame and make it appear as though an individual can actually change their core sexual being, which of course, they cannot. I'm with you Red on being sick and tired of respecting "deeply held religious beliefs", these beliefs are just a way of justifying bigotry and goes far beyond believing in the absurdity that religion truly is.
posted by Anonymous, at
6/22/2007 12:03 AM
I think Throckmorton and his ilk are the ones who need aversion therapy to rid themselves of homophobia. That would be truly christian and I'd gladly contribute financially.
Great column, Wayne. Thank you. One little quibble: you end with a really forceful sentence, "The alternative is to create conflicted minds like that of the Exodus President, who by virtue of his convoluted statements, clearly lives in psychological torture Chambers."Strictly speaking, "by virtue of" means that it's his STATEMENTS that are causing his psychological torture. I think what you mean is something more like "judging by" his statements. Best wishes, Lesbonaut
posted by Anonymous, at
6/22/2007 9:53 AM
Your brief comment on quack "therapy" for gays is one of the best, most concise demolition jobs of this odious fraud I have ever seen.
Any adult who wishes to put themselves through this abuse is free to do so. By the same token, I will unceasingly denounce it as immoral bunk. Perhaps we should have "ex-Christian" therapy instead.
Good luck on the Signorile show. I don't agree with him on everything, but when Signorile tosses his harpoon at anti-gay Christians, it always hits home.
posted by Anonymous, at
6/22/2007 5:34 PM
