Exodus International Not All It's "Quacked" Up To Be

Perhaps the public should have been suspicious when the two founding leaders of Exodus International left their wives and ran off with each other, or when Wayne Besen exposed yet another leader to be pretending to have changed while cruising guys at a gay bar. All that matters is that we have credible information from which to make our opinions on. That information has just come from the American Psychological Association's most recent report on therapeutic attempts to change sexual orientation:

Associated Press

By DAVID CRARY (AP)

NEW YORK — The American Psychological Association declared Wednesday that mental health professionals should not tell gay clients they can become straight through therapy or other treatments.

In a resolution adopted by the APA's governing council, and in an accompanying report, the association issued its most comprehensive repudiation of "reparative therapy" — a concept espoused by a small but persistent group of therapists, often allied with religious conservatives, who maintain gays can change.

No solid evidence exists that such change is likely, says the resolution, adopted by a 125-4 vote. The APA said some research suggests that efforts to produce change could be harmful, inducing depression and suicidal tendencies.

Instead of seeking such change, the APA urged therapists to consider multiple options — that could range from celibacy to switching churches — for helping clients live spiritually rewarding lives in instances where their sexual orientation and religious faith conflict.

The APA had criticized reparative therapy in the past, but a six-member task force added weight to this position by examining 83 studies on sexual orientation change conducted since 1960. Its report was endorsed by the APA's governing council in Toronto, where the 150,000-member association's annual meeting is being held this weekend.

The report breaks new ground in its detailed and nuanced assessment of how therapists should deal with gay clients struggling to remain loyal to a religious faith that disapproves of homosexuality.

The article goes even further adding:

The APA task force took as a starting point the belief that homosexuality is a normal variant of human sexuality, not a disorder, and that it nonetheless remains stigmatized in ways that can have negative consequences.

It's nice to see that science is offering some advice that works towards healing the long standing social stigma that plagues the GLBT community. I have always held that being who you are is not in and of itself damning or redeeming; judging your actions and intents is the basis of our justice system.