The nation's leading psychologists' professional organization has issued a new statement advising mental health professionals against leading patients to believe that therapy may somehow reverse their sexual orientation.
On August 4 the American Psychological Association adopted a resolution that says there's no scientific evidence therapy can make gay people straight. In a review of 83 English-language, peer-reviewed studies from 1960 to 2007, an APA task force found nothing to suggest that therapy could steer a member of a sexual minority (a term that encompasses all varieties and degrees of same-sex attraction) toward heterosexuality. Moreover, the task force found insufficient evidence to illuminate whether such therapy might in fact do harm.
The APA statement counters the notion that "sexual orientation change effort" or "reparative therapy," approaches embraced by a small but dogged group of therapists, can make gays and lesbians straight.
The APA has been chipping away at this issue for years; in the mid-1970s the organization helped establish that homosexuality and its variants are normal expressions of human sexuality and should not be considered pathologies in need of treatment. The new statement reaffirms that stance.
The new statement also takes care to address the concerns of those whose sexual identities are at odds with their religious beliefs. Such people should be counseled about accepting their sexuality in light of their religion.
Similarly, gay youths and adults seeking therapy should be offered guidance in coming to terms with their sexual identity and in dealing with societal reactions to that identity, the paper says.
Does this news surprise you? Or do you find it more surprising that we're still having this discussion?
from The Washington Post
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