Conversion/Reparative therapy is an inhumane process where often someone who is homosexual will be manipulated into thinking that they are heterosexual. Most will refer to it as “praying the gay away” which is actually part of the sessions, however it gets much more abusive than that. A type of therapy that our next Vice President, Mike Pence, funds is called electroshock conversion therapy, where you’re basically “shocking the gay away.” A lot of times, clients who go through these forms of therapy never feel “cured” from their sexuality, and actually may have developed trauma-induced mental disorders due to the abuse and manipulation these so-called “therapists” put them through. At this point, how can we get anymore inhumane? First, this …show more content…
Johnson Nicolosi, believe that conversion therapy is actually effective in changing people’s sexual attraction from the same sex to the opposite sex. They are convinced that homosexual people who aren’t accepting of themselves seek out help to “convert” that. The truth is, someone who is unaccepting just needs time. We live in a world where being different is frowned upon and it’s often that our parents influence our views. In most cases, a homosexual teenager who is raised by religious parents will grow up thinking being gay is a sin, because that’s what the bible says. This idea is often referred to as internalized homophobia, and from interviewing several people; it’s a common thing for teens and people in general to feel. In fact, a study in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing states, “family acceptance of LGBT youth predicts positive outcomes in mental health, self esteem, and overall health status.” Basically saying that without acceptance of others, it’s hard for one to accept …show more content…
Sure, there are some people who switch around sexual orientations, and that’s perfectly fine, although this doesn’t require a therapist’s help. No one in this world is going to just have attraction to the same sex without feeling like that’s who they are, because again, it’s frowned upon in today’s society. Yes, society has lighten up on their hatred towards the LGBT+ community, but it’s still not a thing people just choose like they choose chocolate cake over vanilla. A major issue with those who think conversion therapy is effective is that they believe being homosexual is a choice. While science has yet to find a specific gene that makes someone gay, there is proof that it is indeed, not a choice. “For instance, a 2014 study in the journal, Psychological Medicine, showed that a gene on the X chromosome (one of the sex chromosomes) called Xq28 and a gene on chromosome 8 seem to be found in higher prevalence in men who are
...s gone through. At times I cried knowing that maybe there is more to this transgender group of people. There are over 700,000 people going through transgender. One doctor said that sexual desire is who you go to bed with and gender is who you go to bed as. Transgender doesn’t mean that they are wanting to be with the opposite sex. There are some that go either way.
In Brandon Ambrosino’s “I am Gay – but I Wasn't Born This Way”, the author states his reasoning as to why he believes he chose to be gay. Being one of the few who questions the born this way ideology, Ambrosino, along with other LGBTQ activists, are “cast as homophobic, and their thinking is considered backward”(par 10). However, just because an argument like this is popular, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s true. Even scientific organizations like the American Psychological Association (APA) believes that people have no control over their sexual orientations, however, no findings have been found that determine if sexual orientation is determined from hormones, genetics, or cultural influences(par 21), therefore contradicting the previous claim.
For years homosexuality in the United States of America has been looked down upon by citizens, religions, and even politicians. The homosexual culture, or the LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender), has been demoralized and stuck out and lashed against by the Heterosexual community time and time again. To better understand the LGBT community we must first grasp the concept of Sexual Orientation.
There are many issues that interfere with the health and happiness of those within the Gay and Lesbian community. The National Association Position Statement on Gays and Lesbians is as attempt to abolish such issues within the social work practice. One place that individuals of any sexual orientation practice should feel safe is with those who have chosen the field of social work as a means to helping the oppressed. Social workers must be aware of their own personal beliefs and values when it comes to the fear of and the misrepresentation of working with this divers group. The consequences of not dealing with such issues and may have a latent manifest in dealing with the Gay and Lesbian population, and if not addressed prior to working in this field, maybe devastating to a client.
Conversion Therapy is a practice which has been proven not to be harmful but also, has been proven not to work. There is a gene that causes homosexuality, and therefore proves that homosexuality is genetic, and not a choice. Many individuals have gone through conversion therapy and sadly some of them have not survived it. Leelah Alcorn did not survive the therapy process that her parents put her through because she was emotionally damaged by all the negative comments about her being transgender. There is a petition to sign Leelah’s Law, which would ban the practice of conversion therapy. The petition has reached its goal. Now it is up to the Unitited States constitutes to persuade their representatives into passing this law to ban this form of therapy from this nation.
I first checked out a site written by a supporter of the "gay gene." http://voyager.dvc.edu/~bmckinney/www.pilot.infi.net/~susanf/aolgay.htm is written by Don Robertson. Don Robertson is a gay teacher of biochemistry and molecular biology. In his article, he states that many experiments have proved the genetic connection to homosexuality. He names some of the experiment's methods but he doesn't include who ran the experiments, where they were done, why or why not they would be reliable or whether they would have the same results if the experiments were repeated. He comes up with figures like if one identical twin is gay there is a sixty- percent chance that the other identical twins will also be gay. This is included to prove that since identical twins share identical genes, they must have had the "gay gene" passed down to both of them. This claim brings up a few problems.
Treatments such as conversion therapy have been thoroughly debated by doctors, everyday civilians and even politicians. The question surrounding the topic asks whether or not the treatment is ethically and morally acceptable. Conversion therapy is an option of treatment catering to the LGBTQ community that claims to be able to change a person’s sexual behaviors such as orientation, preference and identity. The main controversies on the topic argue the physical and psychological side effects, treatment options and whether or not different sexual behaviors are mental illnesses that requires treatment.
People that’ve gone through conversion therapy tell stories about things they went through. Something therapists do is force people to watch heterosexual porn. Therapists believe that watching porn will make men attracted to women while it will make women attracted to men (A Survivor Of Gay Conversion Therapy Shares His Chilling Story, 2016). Another method therapists use is force people to pray the gay away. One man named Paul Southwick wrote about how he tried to pray the gay away but all that did was make him hate himself be felt like wasn’t trying hard enough. Some therapist give their patients electric shocks while showing them homoerotic images. This leads to patients associating homosexuals with pain (A Survivor Of Gay Conversion Therapy Shares His Chilling Story, 2016). Conversion therapy can last for years. This mean that patients are subject to abuse for years. Conversion therapy is extremely harmful. People learn to associate homosexuality with pain and that leads to them hating homosexuals and themselves. It is also very traumatizing. People that have served conversion therapy say they still feel the harmful effects years
Making a stands that being a homosexual is natural and homosexuality isn’t a mental disorder. Conversion or reparative therapy only suppress their sexual conduct, not their sexual desires. Those type of therapy infuses shame and guilt in a person which can cause the person the shutdown. Secondly, conversion therapy can make a person feel like they have no way out. The highly disapproved therapy can push a person to make a bad rational decision possibly committing suicide. LGBT people are three to seven times more likely to commit suicide. Thirdly, they promote sexual orientation is a choice but your sexual orientation is not a choice. Conversion and Reparative therapy are supported by James Dobson which created a Christian organization called “ Focus On The
Though many consider homosexuality a mental illness, different studies have proven that it is a bi...
The acceptance of “abnormal” sexualities has been a prolonged, controversial battle. The segregation is excruciating and the prejudice remarks are so spiteful that some people never truly recover. Homosexuals have been left suffering for ages. Life, for most homosexuals during the first half of the twentieth century, was mostly one of hiding: having to constantly hide their true feelings and tastes. Instead of restaurants and movies, they had to sit quiet in the dark and meet each other in concealed places such as bars. Homosexuals were those with “mental and psychic abnormalities” and were the victim of medical prejudice, police harassment, and church condemnation (Jagose 24). The minuscule mention or assumption of one’s homosexuality could easily lead to the loss of family, livelihood, and sometimes even their lives. It was only after the Stonewall riots and the organization of gay/lesbian groups that times for homosexuals started to look brighter.
It is very reasonable to conclude that research on depression of those who identify as gay, lesbian or transsexual is not accurate; there is an underreporting of people who identify as these sexual orientations because of the fear of being different. It is understood that those apart of the LGBTQ community actively hide their identity in hopes to avoid being rejected or abused (Bird, 2013). Once the reporting issue of having a smaller percentage of the actual representation of the LGBTQ population is put aside, there is evidence that highly suggests that lesbians and gay men are at higher risk for psychiatric disorders than heterosexuals (Cochran, 2001). Even after underreporting, there is still enough information to conclude that sexual discrimination can have harmful effects on the quality of life. Common factors that have been observed in lesbians and gays that can potentially increase depression during Cochran's study are anxiety and mood disorders and decreased self esteem. Cochran and her partner also noted that dissatisfaction with how one is treated beca...
According to the Human Rights Campaign, Conversion therapy is a practice that claims to be able to "turn gay people straight" through therapy. Conversion therapy leads to a variety of negative side effects. According to the Human Rights Campaign, "minors are especially vulnerable, and conversion therapy can lead to depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness, and suicide." Conversion therapy is a horrific practice that should be banned in all fifty states. Conversion therapy is a horrible practice that should be
There are many people who are firm believers that if you are gay, you were born that way and it has nothing to do with your surrounding environment. There have been lots of scientific research and studies done to help prove this side. For example, many scientists have done in depth studies on th...
At one point homosexuality was considered to be a psychological disorder. Although the American Psychological Association states, “When researchers examined data about these people who were not in therapy, the idea that homosexuality was a mental illness was quickly found to be untrue.” According to Rita Mae Brown, speech, 28 August 1982, “No government has the right to tell its citizens when or whom to love. The only queer people are those who don't love anybody (Quotes on Homosexuality).” Kathleen Melonakos, founder of Delaware Family Foundation, wants to know how it’s not considered a mental disorder. Considering that homosexuality involves a life threatening behavior with an addictive component which has serious health implications. “That word "lesbian" sounds like a disease. And straight men know because they're sure that they're the cure,” Denise McCanles (Quotes on Homosexuality).