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This conclusion did not surprise those of us who work with people who have been harmed by such programs. For example, I just interviewed Patrick McAlvey, who entered therapy to change his sexual orientation at the age of 19. His counselor, Mike Jones, is the director of Corduroy Stone, an affiliate of Exodus International.
McAlvey says that his sessions included prolonged hugs, the suggestion that he use handyman tools to increase his masculinity and questions about the size of his genitalia. There was also an episode of "holding therapy" where he reclined into the lap of his supposedly "ex-gay" counselor for an hour. The goal, according to McAlvey, was to get comfortable with his own manliness by "feeling the strength" and "smelling the smell" of another man. What Jones and other ex-gay counselors routinely call "therapy" can seem a great deal like foreplay to the rest of us.
"I think it does a lot of damage to peoples' mental health," said McAlvey. "If I had had a fair representation (of gay life) I could have avoided a lot of suffering."
Of course, such therapy and ministry programs can only exist by grossly distorting the lives of gay people. For example, in a recent radio interview, ex-gay activist Charlene Cothran claimed that gay people do not want legal equality and are really only interested in the "freedom to be a homosexual in a park with no clothes on."
The APA deserves credit for taking ex-gay therapists to task for twisting the truth and holding them accountable for their scare tactics, such as claiming that there are no happy gay people.
"The limited published literature on these programs suggests that many do not present accurate scientific information regarding same-sex sexual orientations to youth and families, are excessively fear-based and have the potential to increase sexual stigma," said the APA report, "Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation."
It was encouraging to see the APA question the ex-gay tactic of teaching vulnerable clients to live in a fantasy world. Groups like Exodus and the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH), regularly encourage clients to say they have converted, even though they are still gay. The idea is that by proclaiming a false heterosexual identity in advance of any legitimate change, the desired transformation will eventually come.
This idea is equivalent to me wanting to play professional basketball, so I begin to identify as a member of the New York Knicks. Never mind that I am too short, too old and not good enough to make the roster. If I embrace this surreal existence long enough, I will one-day be dunking the ball under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden.
It is imperative that clients are honest about who they are and not prodded to make claims that are not true. Such a gap between fantasy and reality, according to the APA report, can create "cognitive dissonance" and does not resolve "identity conflicts."
Most important, the APA report smacks down the absurd notion, pushed by charlatans, that allowing such quackery increases the "self determination" of clients. Contrary to their lofty claims, ex-gay counselors are actually providing the opposite of what effective therapy should offer, which is a nonjudgmental atmosphere where clients can embark on a journey of authentic self-discovery.
Instead of a neutral facilitator, these unethical practitioners set themselves up as surrogate father (or mother) figures. Appropriate client-centered therapeutic models are displaced by therapist-centric sessions, where the main goal is not letting down "Daddy" or "Mommy", and his or her often religious-based expectations. In such situations, it is the ideological needs of the therapist that are paramount, not the mental health of clients.
The APA's report also pointed out the difference between sexual orientation and sexual behavior, saying that, "At most, certain studies suggested that some individuals learned how to ignore or not act on their homosexual attractions."
Reinforcing this point is Exodus International's President Alan Chambers, who said in an interview last week that he lives in "self denial" and that "ex-gays" are successful by "denying what might come naturally to us." While extraordinary mental gymnastics may allegedly work for Chambers, most people would find that such repression is destructive to self-worth and psychological well-being.
To counter the APA's rigorous effort, NARTH produced a shoddy report that cherry picked outdated research, including dated shock and aversion therapy experiments to "cure" homosexuals. It is telling that NARTH included examples of torture to support its tortured attempts to make ex-gay therapy appear ethical and effective.
The APA pulled few punches and couched its top-notch report in direct terms. Hopefully, this effort will limit the number of psychological casualties produced on the couches of ex-gay therapists.
7 Comments:
Of course, this study is no surprise to us because we don't need a study to tell us what the truth is...we live it on a daily basis. Regrettably, those who earn their living from the "ex-gay" charade couldn't care less about this study, or about any science for that matter. That's why it's usually pointless to argue with religious fundamentalists, because they don't believe that logic is a valid barometer by which we determine what's true or not.
How could we argue successfully, for example, with Dr. Brown, who recently held a rally during the gay pride parade in Charlotte, NC? What do you say to a person who doesn't think that ideas must be logical and instead relies upon supernatural explanations? A person who believes in logic is constrained by logic. A person who accepts the supernatural can simply believe anything he wishes to believe; there are no boundaries.
Religious fundamentalists live in a superstitious fantasy land where anything goes. Any statement, no matter how outrageous, could be true, because the boundaries of logic and science are willfully disposed of, and they will dispose of this study as well. Hopefully, however, "ex-gay" clients will read this study and will not waste their time on this hocus-pocus.
posted by Chris L., at
8/05/2009 8:31 PM
These religious nutjobs and ex gay tarts are obsessed with form and their minds are in the gutter. Let us never forget to keep focused on who and where the shallow representations originate. THEM! I laugh because they're so damn pathetic but i do realize that they are damaged goods hurting other vulnerable people. The whole ex gay thing is such a rediculous waste of life.
posted by Spouse Walker, at
8/05/2009 10:45 PM
The APA is a trusted organisation of professional psychologists but the "ex-gay" crowd would rather believe quacks like Nicolosi and the rest of the gang at NARTH.
It is no news that the "ex-gay" ministries are based lies and quack science. The people in these unethical (to say the least) and useless groups would rather be misterable instead than to admit that these programs do no good and often do harm. I mean really, how much good is snappiing a rubber band anytime that you see an attractive person of your gender going to do?
As far as the fundietards are concerned, their slogan is: Don't show me the facts--I've already made up my mind.
I hope Dr. Phil gets a copy of this. I was always suspicious that this good ol boy from Texas was a thinly veiled bible quoting republican. But when I found out (from this site) that he had Nicolosi on as an 'expert', to upbraid and abuse the mother of a trans-gendered child, I never watched his show again (and never will). BTW, just because someone can parrot Bible verses, doesnt mean they understand it or the labyrinthine history behind them.
posted by Anonymous, at
8/08/2009 2:31 PM
Dr. Phil is such a crock. I can't believe he ever got a TV show--oh wait, yes I can...
You can be sure he will probably keep mum about the APA's latest statement.
