PAGE 4 T Q-Notes T September 6,1997
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APA resolution
on “reparative
therapy” delivers
blow to ex-gays
by Kim Mills
Special to Q-Notes
CHICAGO—On August 14, the American
Psychological Association (APA) passed a reso
lution that represents a setback to proponents
of so-called “reparadve” or “conversion” therapy
that aims to turn a patients homosexual orien
tation into a heterosexual one.
“These therapies amount to nothing more
than psychological terrorism and are usually
performed by practitioners who harbor intense
bias against gay people,” said David M. Smith,
Human Rights Campaigns senior strategist.
“These practitioners usually are affiliated with
extremist religious groups that promote the il
lusion that sexual orientation can be changed
to further their political aims.”
The resolution, which passed overwhelm
ingly at the APA convention in Chicago, as
serted that there is no sound scientific evidence
on the efficacy of these therapies. Some clini
cians have compared these techniques to efforts
to make left-handed people right-handed; they
may learn to use their right hands, but they
still are innately left-handed.
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
was not pleased by the resolution. The agency’s
direaor expressed disappointment that the APA
stopped short of calling for an end to conver
sion therapies. In a letter to the APA, Execu
tive Direaor Kerry Lobel noted that “anything
short of full condemnation for this repugnant
practice leaves the door open for reparative
therapy’s further escalation.
“The real victims of those misguided thera
pies are clients attempting to bear the weight
of homophobia in society and within their own
families,” she argued. “As they seek counseling,
they should experience self-validation and sup
port for living a healthy and full life regardless
of their sexual orientation. While some adults
may give their consent to conversion therapy,
many are coerced into doing so. The most vtd-
nerable are young people at the mercy of con
fused parents or adult guardians seeking to erase
their own shame or guilt about their child’s
sexual orientation. Allowing conversion treat
ments to remain a viable option assures that
many will endure potentially cosdy, pauiflil and
traumatic procedures that could inaease rather
than relieve suffering.”
Supporters of reparative therapy demanded
that the APA make a statement on these “treat
ments” because they have been under intensive
debate within the profession and in the larger
society.
The resolution did strongly reaffirm that
homosexuality is not a mental illness and that
psychologists must not participate in or con
done discriminatory practices with sexual mi
nority clients.”
In addition, the APA resolution called on
psychologists to “respea the rights of individu
als, including sexual minority clients, to pri
vacy, confidentiality, self-determination and
autonomy.” And it direaed psychologists to
obtain appropriate informed consent to therapy
when working with sexual minority clients,
including minors.
But even this statement has not quieted pro
ponents of reparative therapy. They view the
statement as political. T
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