ZackFord Blogs | News, analysis, and commentary on LGBT rights, atheism, religious privilege, higher education, student affairs, and related social justice issues.
It’s Zack’s last day in Pennsylvania, and for once, Peterson has come to him! This week, we delve back into the world of ex-gay therapy because Lisa Ling forces us to respond to the Our America exposé of Exodus International on the Oprah Winfrey Network. Almost the entire program was an open platform for ex-gay […]
The World Bank recently included PFOX (so-called “Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays) in their charity outreach, which demands that we remember how harmful and misleading PFOX really is.
This weekend, there were two responses to the NARTH conference in Philadelphia. Check out pictures from the “Lift Your Luggage” protest and my thoughts about how the LGBT movement addresses (and doesn’t address) the ex-gay movement.
What’s a company with a 100 equality rating like Marriott doing offering safe harbor to an organization as dangerous and harmful as NARTH? Watch as NARTH admits how they hate relying on a pro-gay hotel to host their very anti-gay conferences.
She graced the pages of Glamour magazine. She stunned the nation on Good Morning America. She helped launch a movement (Beyond Ex-Gay) and NOW she is our guest on Queer and Queerer! Zack and Peterson welcome Christine Bakke to the program. Christine is an artist, an activist, and an outspoken ex-gay survivor. As a lesbian […]
The Tenth Doctor on Doctor Who said “sorry” a lot, but when he said, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” it meant he knew something very sad about the people he was saying it to that they were not (and might never be) aware of. To the National Association for the Research & Therapy of Homosexuality: […]
You may have missed it on Friday afternoon, but ZFb is now the proud home of a fun new podcast called Queer and Queerer! And it kind of happened very quickly. You see, Peterson Toscano and I have been hanging out a lot lately and just having some great conversations about LGBTQ issues and other […]
It was an interesting afternoon with William Tam’s testimony. You may recall he was going to be among the defendants, but requested to be withdrawn for fear of safety. Many have speculated that the real reason for his withdrawal was the content of his beliefs and messages used to support the Prop 8 campaign (as […]
No words or pleasantries expressed,
An expected tolerance for each other’s
temporary company.
Yet moments after take off,
another occurs:
His knee firmly against mine.
Suddenly, I am consumed with all that he is,
But there is nothing more I need know.
The buzz in my thigh is as crisp as his
military haircut.
And though this 47-minute puddlejumper
Leaves little expectation for tolerating more,
I no longer worry about making my connection.
I’ll leave you to the articles for details about how the World Bank’s charity outreach works, but let’s be clear, PFOX is no charity. And contrary to its name, it is no friend to gays.
PFOX is remarkable for its application of the Victim meme. See, the ex-gays that PFOX represents? They’re real victims. But they’re victims of the harmful, ineffective brainwashing of ex-gay therapy. But what PFOX says is that they’re victims of harassment from those of us in the LGBT community who ostracize and discriminate against them for being ex-gay. This, of course, is absurd, as we only have the utmost compassion for ex-gays; it is only the promoters of ex-gay therapy who deserve to be challenged and disavowed for spreading their lies.
Groups like PFOX continue to create visibility for the idea that sexual orientation can be changed, and that it’s just a different perspective; the issue is still up for debate. This is both factually untrue and incredibly harmful. Let’s take a look at some of their language to see what they’re real motives are.
Don’t be misled by the first sentence in the next paragraph:
Who are PFOX families?
PFOX families love their homosexual child unconditionally. Unlike other organizations which insist that parental love is conditional on affirming homosexual behavior, there are no conditions on our love for our children. We do not have to approve of everything our children do. Blanket approval is not responsible parenting or love. True love is loving in spite of our differences and treating each other with kindness and respect.
It’s not hard to read between the lines here. What PFOX wants from families is for them to show their love by shaming their children for their homosexuality.
And of course they do! And look! They have the APA (both of them) there to back them up!
Aren’t some people born gay?
We have all heard of individuals who entered homosexuality later in life after marrying and having children with an opposite sex spouse. No scientific evidence has established a genetic cause for homosexuality or found a “gay gene.” There is no DNA or medical test to determine if a person is homosexual. Sexual orientation is a matter of self-affirmation and public declaration. “Gay” is a self-chosen identity. According to the American Psychiatric Association, there are no replicated scientific studies to support that people can be born “gay” or that homosexuality is innate.
According to the American Psychological Association, “[a]lthough much research has examined the possible genetic, hormonal, developmental, social, and cultural influences on sexual orientation, no findings have emerged that permit scientists to conclude that sexual orientation is determined by any particular factor or factors.” [2008]
Pssst… the period is supposed to go outside the citation, at least according to APA’s own style manual.
The American Psychological Association declared Wednesday that mental health professionals should not tell gay clients they can become straight through therapy or other treatments.
…
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Psychological Association concludes that there is insufficient evidence to support the use of psychological interventions to change sexual orientation;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Psychological Association encourages mental health professionals to avoid misrepresenting the efficacy of sexual orientation change efforts by promoting or promising change in sexual orientation when providing assistance to individuals distressed by their own or others’ sexual orientation;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Psychological Association concludes that the benefits reported by participants in sexual orientation change efforts can be gained through approaches that do not attempt to change sexual orientation;
Aww… looks like PFOX was misleading just a little bit there, huh?
Don’t be surprised. Their motives are unabashedly hurtful.
Lastly, let’s take a look at some of the “discriminatory actions against ex-gays” that show the importance of support from groups like PFOX. Note that most of these are efforts against ex-gay groups or individuals who support the ex-gay movement, NOT ex-gays themselves.
Unlike gay groups, ex-gay groups like PFOX are routinely denied equal access to participate in public school events, donate books to public school libraries, and present speakers on diversity day.
Well, let’s see. If PFOX’s materials promote harmful therapies that have been disavowed by all major medical authorities, should they really be welcomed? Are those good resources for students or communities to have access to? No.
Transgenders and cross-dressers are affirmed for changing their gender but former homosexuals are ridiculed for making the decision to change their sexual orientation.
This is misleading (and offensive). People who are trans do not change their gender. They simply have genders that are different from their sexes. This is a false comparison that completely misunderstands (unsurprisingly) the nature of trans identities.
Ex-gay conferences and seminars across the country are frequently picketed by anti-ex-gay protestors like PFLAG, a parents organization run by a gay activist, and Soulforce, a gay religious organization.
Been there, done that. Of course we picket those groups! It is no great secret that they actively work to hurt members of our community. But we aren’t protesting against ex-gay people; we are protesting against the recruitment of gays into a zombified movement of ex-gays based on harmful untruths.
Presidential candidate Barack Obama was criticized by gay activists for allowing ex-gay gospel singer Donnie McClurkin to sing at a fundraiser. They insisted that Obama drop the African-American singer from the program. Gay singers did not receive this treatment.
Haha, this is great. First of all, none of these people support Barack Obama. Second of all, this is a clear attempt to paint gay activists as racists. Third of all, Candidate Obama had committed to being a fierce advocate for LGBT issues, so discouraging him from essentially endorsing the ex-gay movement was a pretty important thing to do.
Harvard University conducted two separate investigations against employee Larry Houston because he discussed his former homosexuality on campus.
Houston was a cook in a Harvard dining hall, and the investigations only took place after many students complained he was inappropriately proselytizing. It’s clear from this Crimson article that Houston was coached with talking points by PFOX to make himself look like a victim.
Equality Virginia demanded that Washington DC Metro remove PFOX’s subway billboards advocating tolerance for ex-gays.
Why would a pro-gay group complain about the visibility of an anti-gay message? Huh.
An ex-gay volunteer staffing PFOX’s exhibit booth at the Arlington County, Virginia Fair was physically assaulted because he refused to recant his ex-gay testimony. Wayne Besen, a former spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, falsely reported that the assault had never occurred.
Another misleading claim, intended as an attack on Wayne Besen. But Wayne wasn’t the one who claimed there was no incident! In fact, the Arlington County Board researched the claim, found no evidence, and reported the incident as a “pre-fabrication or a mistake.”
After speaking at an ex-gay conference, Michelle McKinney-Hammond lost her programming on a broadcast station because gay activist Wayne Besen had complained to the station.
Another direct attack on Wayne; another lie. In fact, aside from sites who have copied language from PFOX directly, I cannot find any evidence to this. Even if it were true, there would probably be a rightful claim, given that Hammond’s has a reputation as a relationship expert meant that a television gig gave her a very wide platform to share the harmful beliefs she was reinforcing at the ex-gay conference.
After writing a letter her local newspaper as a concerned citizen, Crystal Dixon was terminated from her job as an Associate Vice President of Human Resources for Toledo University. An African-American, Dixon challenged the civil rights comparison of race with homosexual behavior. Dixon’s letter also revealed that some gay people have overcome unwanted homosexual feelings, as evidenced by the growing popularity of PFOX and other ex-gay organizations.
It’s actually the University of Toledo. And there’s that racism implication again. Guess what? If you work in human resources, it’s your job to handle complaints of discrimination, including those related to sexual orientation. Not unlike the recent case of Andrew Shirvell (the assistant DA in Michigan), if you make public comments against homosexuality when it’s your job to protect gay and lesbian people, it kind of compromises your ability to do your job effectively.
And that’s the whole list. PFOX is just out to sugarcoat the harmful reality of ex-gay therapy and then benefit from claiming victim status.
They are not a charity. They do not help people. They do not deserve any support from the World Bank.
Canada’s 22 Minutes gives us a humorous portrayal that actually reminds us of the true harm done by ex-gay therapy:
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Well, I just got home from Philadelphia, where I participated in both the “Lift Your Luggage” protest as well as some of the Soulforce Symposium. Click on the image at left to open my photo gallery from the protest, then tune in to tomorrow’s Queer and Queerer (Ep. 30) to hear two wonderful interviews from the symposium.
I feel good about the protest, where we had about 40 people with a number of great speakers. I was also glad to see Equality Pennsylvania and my fellow bloggers Joe Jervis and Jeremy Hooper there. As I’ve written before, I think it’s important to create visible responses to groups who actively work against equality and that perpetuate harm against our community. I think this is especially true of groups like NARTH who are not always visible nationally, but whose work has not diminished and who continue to rope young people into their narrow fold.
You may recall that over the past year, there were two separate court cases regarding graduate psychology students who refused to serve LGBT clients (I wrote about them back in July here and here). In both cases they were not able to complete their degrees, and both sued and lost. They may sound like exceptions, but the contingent of anti-gay “professional” psychologists continue to recruit. In fact, this NARTH conference had a whole contingent of graduate students (with workshops specifically targeting recruiting them). There were also a number of young people at the NARTH conference who are undergoing therapy and wanted to learn more and touch base with others.
I hope that those young people saw us out there. I hope they haven’t become so enmeshed in the dogma of anti-gay junk science that they can still think—can still question. I hope they don’t waste decades of their life like some NARTHers have, reinforcing ideas that are condemned and denounced by the scientific community at large. I hope that through their weekend of lectures about shame and suppressing psychoanalysis, with plenary pseudo-science sessions led by religion leaders, that they doubt, at least a little bit. Once they stop doubting, they could be lost for good.
I don’t have as much to say about the Soulforce Symposium, as I was only able to attend a couple of sessions. (Check out Soulforce’s YouTube channel to see a lot of great footage from the symposium.) The leaders of Soulforce informed me that they are making efforts to be less religious (particularly in the wake of Foundation Beyond Belief’s decision not to support them), but from my afternoon and evening there, it was evident that there is still an extremely strong Christian influence and undercurrent. I knew that going in; I knew that it was not a space where I would feel totally included. One religious leader on a panel kept speaking of things we must “lift up,” while others spoke out “Amen,” in agreement of various points made.
For better or worse, that is the culture of that group. People seek it out to reconcile their faith, and still see it as a safe place to exercise that faith. I struggle with this, because I am very much about discouraging faith. I see not having faith as a good thing, so I am very triggered by messages of reinforcement. Perhaps to vent a bit of it, I once heard myself snarkily say, “So say we all” after a comment I heard others Amen-ing. I understand that a conference to support ex-gay survivors has to be welcoming of religion, as many of those folks have/had dedicated themselves quite deeply to their faith and still might be figuring out how they make meaning. Still, I struggle when the alternative is not equally promoted—when no one is willing to reach out and say that being an atheist can also be a good thing (a topic I plan to explore a bit in a supplemental post).
What I think concerns me most is how little the rest of the LGBT movement is concerned with the ex-gay movement. There seems to be a sense that only those who seek out ex-gay therapy are the ones hurt and thus the impact of the ex-gay movement is minimal. This couldn’t be further from the truth, as it is groups like NARTH, Exodus International, and Focus on the Family, who not only are quite vocal against all queer equality efforts, but who also provide the most ammunition to our other opponents through their lies and myths. (Comments made this weekend by Marine General James Amos against DADT repeal reek of the age-old myth that homosexuality is contagious.) In addition, the sense that their ministries are shrinking is oblivious to the fact that they are growing immensely on an international scale, and are almost solely responsible for Uganda’s proposed bill to implement the death penalty for homosexuality (as just one example of the threat they pose).
Until the day the greater equality movement acknowledges that these groups truly are our arch-nemeses and takes a more universal approach to debunking them, they will continue to be a scourge on our families and communities. I hope you’ll listen to my interview with Christine Robinson on this week’s Queer and Queerer(Ep. 30) where we discuss this further.
More than anything, I applaud those ex-gay survivors who exercise the courage to speak out on a regular basis and make their story heard. This weekend, a young man stepped out named Chaim Levin, and his story will soon be heard on Nightline. He joins the ranks of folks like Peterson Toscano, Christine Bakke, Jallen Rix, Jacob Wilson, Jason Conner, Daniel Gonzalez, and the many others who have committed their lives to supporting those who survive these wicked “therapies.”
Many might think that one or the other of these events wasn’t important, and certainly the overlap of the two was minimal. I think both are. There need to be folks who protest, who speak out, who are aggressive, and who challenge those who persecute us. There also need to be folks who educate, who create structures of support for those hurt by these causes. While some might only feel they belong at one or the other, I applaud all those who support either and see the need to resist lies and fallacies that continue to destroys lives and families. Kudos to all who made this weekend possible.
[Shannon Cuttle is an educator, school administrator, safe schools advocate and trainer, community organizer, and policy wonk.]
This weekend at the Marriott Renaissance-Airport Hotel in Philadelphia, PA, the organization NARTH will hold their annual conference. NARTH is no ordinary organization; draped in disguise as a “scientific research” community lies an organization that uses inaccurate and misguided information that harms not just adults but youth and families.
NARTH most recently has been in the news over the Rekers scandal, but even before that they made headlines this past March with a letter that went out to over 800 school superintendents nationwide through their American College of Pediatricians, a fake organization created to be confused with the authentic American Academy of Pediatrics. The letter denounced GLSEN’s Day of Silence and announced a new youth program with so called “resources” for families. Under the guise of the American College of Pediatricians, the misleading Facts About Youth: Informing About The Sexual Development of Youth website offers inaccurate and harmful material for all youth, especially gender non-conforming and LGBT youth and families.
The Facts About Youth website outlines “how to seek reparative treatment for your homosexual child” and outlines “what to do if your child shows homosexual tendencies.” Under the topic of “Empowering Parents of Gender Discordant and Same-Sex Attracted Children,” the Facts About Youth website also contains inaccurate and misguided information for educators.
The so-called American College of Pediatricians is not a real medical or scientific organization nor is it affiliated with any accredited medical or collegiate association or organization.
During the NARTH conference this weekend, sessions will be held on youth, families, and schools. While 9 in 10 LGBT youth are bullied and harassed and 84.6% endure harassment in school daily, organizations such as NARTH, the American College of Pediatricians, Facts About Youth, the American Family Association, and others are leading the charge to fuel the fire of intolerance and hate.
We need to speak out against those who spread inaccurate and hurtful information that is damaging our communities and creating a hostile environment for youth. We need to hold those accountable that are allowing messages of hate and intolerance in our communities. And we need to stand up to those individuals and organizations that support them. The lives of LGBTQ youth are depending on it.
An acquaintance brought to my attention the fact that NARTH’s conference this weekend is being hosted at a Marriott hotel, the Renaissance Philadelphia Airport Hotel. Marriott International, Inc., maintains a 100 rating on HRC’s Corporate Equality Index, so it’s a bit disconcerting that they are playing host to a group so damaging to the LGBT community.
But my acquaintance was feeling sleuthy and decided to find out whether NARTH was aware they were utilizing such a pro-gay hotel for their very anti-gay conference this weekend. Here was the relatively anonymous email sent to NARTH’s general email (info@narth.com):
Now, the next email in this thread is perhaps the most interesting. Whoever received the email at NARTH (narthstaff@earthlink.net) forwarded it to David Pruden, Vice-President of Operations, with the following addition (presumably directed at Pruden):
How dare you!!!
We know this because Pruden didn’t delete it when he responded to my friend. Apparently someone at NARTH was actually (albeit perhaps humorously) upset that the organization would support a pro-gay company.
Now, let’s talk for a second about Pruden. In addition to running a private counseling practice, he runs Evergreen International, which is essentially the Mormon arm of ex-gay ministries. (Our friends over at Affirmation have a lot to say about Evergreen.) According to Pruden’s own bio page, he is also quite active in the Mormon Church’s leadership, serving as a “bishop,” which means he essentially leads (or led) his own congregation.
Without judging anyone else, let me say that I do know that if being stupid or even a hypocrite eliminated someone from public involvement, almost all of us who were honest would have to live alone in a cave somewhere. I know I would.
He basically admitted in a national publication that he’s as hypocritical as George Rekers. So now you know who we’re hearing from (dpruden@earthlink.net). The emphasis is mine; the typos are his.
[Name Redacted]:
When other hotels have refused to even allow NARTH to meet in their facilities Marriott not only works with us, they protect our conference attendees from angry protesters who follow us trying to shut up NARTH and even shut down NARTH events. It was only a few years ago when we arrived at another large hotel to hold our prepaid conference the hotel staff met us at the door and actually refused to let us enter the hotel. As you might expect, it destroyerd our convention.
We moved to Marriott hotels when they assured us that this would never happen at a Marriott. And it hasn’t. Like so many other people I deal with, they may not do everything I like but they very much protect our right to be treated fairly and hold our conventions. We are grateful to them.
-David
Did you catch that? NARTH doesn’t like the things Marriott does that HRC does like. What are those things, again?
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC) has given Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) a perfect score of 100 for the fourth consecutive year on its annual Corporate Equality Index. Ratings were based on factors such as non-discrimination policies, benefits for domestic partners, appropriate and respectful advertising, and external community outreach.
So NARTH is a group claiming to offer compassion to homosexuals, and a member of its administrative leadership (who is also a religious leader) made it clear that he doesn’t like that the Marriott is respectful to the gay community.
Hmmm…
And of course, we have to hold the Marriott accountable here too.
In the interest of full disclosure, a different Marriott (Historic Downtown Courtyard) is hosting the simultaneous Soulforce symposium, which is just fine. But if Marriott is committed to being LGBT-friendly (enough to boast it on their own webpage), then what are they doing “protecting” NARTH’s right to hold a conference, presumably on a yearly basis?
I’m not saying NARTH shouldn’t have a right to hold a conference. It’s a free country. But I think any company willing to offer them safe harbor has to take responsibility for enabling their mission, which is one of the most harmful to the LGBT community. And a Vice President of NARTH has admitted that NARTH patronizes Marriott specifically because the hotel has committed to protecting their conferences.
Is Marriott so desperate for business that they would welcome the income generated by this pseudo-science conference of bullies? They have some explaining to do.
I also think HRC ought to consider employing the “Responsible Citizenship” criterion that is part of the CEI, which allows for the deduction of points from companies who act in ways contrary to support of LGBT interests.
NARTH is evil, Marriott is culpable, and HRC has an opportunity to hold a company accountable.
Let’s all play a sad little violin that NARTH’s conferences have been interrupted before… I would feel so bad if that somehow became a result of the luggage lifting!
NARTH Position Statement
NARTH respects each client’s dignity, autonomy, and free agency…every individual has the freedom to claim a gay identity or to diminish their homosexuality and to develop their heterosexual potential. The freedom to seek therapy to change one’s sexual adaptation is considered self‐evident and inalienable.
NARTH believes in the freedom to hate yourself and hurt yourself for as long you buy into their bunk. I think the Marriott needs to make it clear that they don’t.
I spent the morning working to develop a training for the directors of some local senior centers about the unique challenges faced by LGBT elders. One of the most telling experiences about folks who are currently in their 50s or older is that they dealt with coming out at a time when homosexuality was still considered a mental disorder.
Thus, when thinking about serving this population, it’s easy to think that it’s only been since 1973 that those 81 words were removed from the DSM. That’s less than 40 years that our understanding of sexual orientation has not seen as disorder and malfunction. That’s barely one generation.
At the same time, it is one generation. It’s also easy to step back and realize that that’s almost 40 years that we’ve known better. From my perspective, that was 12 years before I was born that people had it figured out. And yet, 37 years later, some people still haven’t figured it out.
That’s why this weekend is committed to rebelling against that aging myth. NARTH will be having their annual conference in Philadelphia, a weekend of stodgy old men regurgitating their lies and fallacies about sexual orientation. Their basic premise is simple: some people don’t like to be gay, so there must be a way to not be gay. They care not that the real problem is societal stigma, nor do they care that they are very much enablers of that stigma. The hypothesis that sexual orientation can be changed is, of course, wrong, and even worse, harmful.
That’s why I’m proud to support Truth Wins Out‘s “Lift My Luggage” protest. On Saturday, I will join TWO, Equality Pennsylvania, and a number of organizations as well as fellow bloggers Joe Jervis, Jeremy Hooper, and Pam Spaulding to demonstrate outside the NARTH conference. You may recall that one of NARTH’s most prominent leaders, George Rekers, was caught hiring a “rent boy” earlier this year, reminding us that many of NARTH’s participants are motivated by their own internalized homophobia.
Personally, my hope is that the quacks who maintain NARTH will die out sooner than later and help the awful mythology of ex-gay therapy end. Until then, they continue to wreak havoc on young people, and we must interrupt them as we are able.
I’m proud too to be participating in SoulForce’s symposium that is happening simultaneously. The true goal of the symposium is to create some media resources that can be shared well beyond this weekend’s meeting, particularly testimonials and presentations from survivors of the ex-gay movement. While I personally have disagreements with SoulForce’s reinforcement of faith and religion, they still do important work to resist the negative impact by anti-gay religious beliefs.
It seems fitting, I suppose, that I will be participating in the Lift My Luggage protest while my good friend and podcast partner Peterson Toscano will be participating in the Soulforce symposium. Of course, he and I will be recording some interviews while we are in Philadelphia this weekend, so make sure to tune in to Queer and Queerer next week to hear from the brilliant and courageous folks speaking out at these events.
For many, ex-gay ministries and reparative therapy might sound like old, worn-out fads that no longer impact people who are bi, lesbian, and gay. The truth is that groups like NARTH continue to spread their hurtful ideas and cause harm to young people all over our nation and world. While their impact may be shrinking, the harm is not, and I’m glad to be working with so many fantastic individuals and groups to be countering them this weekend.
She graced the pages of Glamour magazine. She stunned the nation on Good Morning America. She helped launch a movement (Beyond Ex-Gay) and NOW she is our guest on Queer and Queerer! Zack and Peterson welcome Christine Bakke to the program. Christine is an artist, an activist, and an outspoken ex-gay survivor. As a lesbian who once tried to suppress and change her orientation, she now speaks out passionately about the dangers of treatments that try to “de-gay” you. She joins us to talk about the Prop 8 ruling, its implications for the Ex-Gay Survivor movement, exorcism, demon nests, and activist art!
Remember, send us your questions for episode 20! You can ask us ANYTHING.
The Tenth Doctor on Doctor Who said “sorry” a lot, but when he said, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” it meant he knew something very sad about the people he was saying it to that they were not (and might never be) aware of.
To the National Association for the Research & Therapy of Homosexuality: I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.
The purpose of this article is to address misperceptions and/or misinformation regarding NARTH. Although some critics will remain skeptical and perhaps some even antagonistic, others desire accurate information. This article is written for the latter group, those who might be interested to know the facts about NARTH’s mission and purpose.
NARTH is Not Anti-gay, nor is NARTH a Hate-Based Organization
Critics and antagonists have labeled NARTH, its leaders, and members as “bigots” and having “hatred” against homosexuality. Simply stated, these accusations are completely false. NARTH’s leaders value and esteem both those who have embraced homosexual identities as well as those who seek change of orientation or identity.
Actually, my understanding is that that’s true, not false. If you promote the idea that homosexuality is something that it makes sense to deny, then you’re promoting negative views on homosexuality. It’s right there in your name, NARTH; you suggest that homosexuality is something for which people need therapy. This only reinforces many of the hateful attitudes already present in our culture.
NARTH Recognizes Client Diversity
NARTH values the individual’s right to choose – both individuals who are comfortable with their homosexual identities and those who want to explore other options. NARTH acknowledges that some people are comfortable claiming a homosexual identity, and we respect their freedom to do so. At the same time, NARTH recognizes that others choose not to embrace a homosexual identity, are distressed by unwanted homosexual attractions, and would like to explore other options for their lives.
It’s deceitful to suggest that homosexual attractions are optional. All of the research the APA has done demonstrates that they are not.
In our culture, those who are dissatisfied with their unwanted homosexual attractions and choose to pursue change are often treated with disrespect, mockery and ridicule, as are the therapists who try to help them.
It could be because there is no valid research that supports what you practice and an overwhelming majority of professionals in your field reject the work that you do as flawed and hurtful.
NARTH Therapists Honor Client Self Determination: Clients Choose Their Own Goals while Therapists Avoid Imposing an Agenda
NARTH defends the rights of clients to seek treatment for unwanted homosexual attractions. Individuals who are dissatisfied with their unwanted homosexual attractions and enter therapy seeking change should be respected and not be coerced into embracing identities which clash with their deeply held values or religious beliefs.
Even the most deeply held values and beliefs are changeable. Sexual orientation is not. Besides, the APA found that the benefits of reparative therapy can also be provided “within an affirmative and multiculturally competent framework.” While people are entitled to hold onto their beliefs, it is deceitful to suggest that a coherence with those beliefs can be realized through therapy.
As the APA report said, “telic congruence based on stigma and shame is unlikely to result in psychological well-being.” In other words, it’s not always in patients’ interest to help them maintain beliefs that are incompatible with their sexual orientation.
Reorientation Therapy Includes Many Different Mainstream Approaches to Therapy
Reorientation therapy is simply psychological care aimed at helping clients achieve their goals regarding their sexual attractions, sexual orientations and/or sexual identities. Reorientation is not decidedly different from other therapies. There are many psychological approaches to helping clients with unwanted homosexual attractions. All approaches supported by NARTH are mainstream approaches to psychotherapy.
This is misleading. The APA resolved that mental health professionals should “avoid misrepresenting the efficacy of sexual orientation change efforts.” Any of NARTH’s efforts would fall into this category. NARTH itself falls into this category. After whining about language like “cure” and “conversion,” Hamilton makes this very point:
NARTH encourages its members to assist those who seek help for unwanted homosexual attractions, attractions which seldom occur in isolation from other issues commonly treated in therapy.
See? The help for “unwanted homosexual attractions” shouldn’t be to try to make them not homosexual; it should be to try to make them not unwanted.
While Success Rates are Similar to Some other Issues, Therapy for Unwanted Homosexuality Seems to be held to a Higher Standard
While studies on therapy for unwanted homosexual attractions seem to yield varying success rates, ranging from 30%-70%, these rates seem to be no different than success rates for many other therapeutic issues.
This is also misleading. After a thorough critical review of research, the APA resolved “that there is insufficient evidence to support the use of psychological interventions to change sexual orientation.” Even the data that NARTH uses to defend its approach does not justify the suggestion that reparative therapy is “as successful” as other forms of treatment, as this point implies.
Therapeutic Attempts to Change Sexual Orientation are not found to be Harmful
Although the media and even some professionals have reported otherwise, the APA Task Force recently reported that the research on whether or not change attempts are harmful is inconclusive.
The word “truthiness” comes to mind. The study did in fact find there was evidence to indicate individuals experienced harm, including “loss of sexual feeling, depression, suicidality, and anxiety.”
Oh, and did you know that NARTH is quite transphobic? Given their eagerness to promote gender conformity, it shouldn’t be surprising, but read this:
On the note of harm, it interesting that it is considered acceptable within the mental health field to assist a five year old boy in identifying as a girl or to administer hormone treatment to a ten or twelve year old child to physically change the child’s biological sex, but offering talk therapy to an adult who would rather not be homosexual is thought to be harmful.
As I’ve already intimated, the main point of this document is to whine, “Whaaaaaaa!”
One more defensive point.
NARTH is Neither Right-Winged, nor is NARTH a Religious Organization
Although the critics often describe NARTH as a right-wing, religious organization, NARTH is neither right-wing, nor religious. Rather, NARTH is a scientific, secular organization.
This may be. I wouldn’t call NARTH scientific, given that they ignore an incredible wealth of science so they can blindly continue doing what they do. We also know that many (if not most (if not all)) reparative therapy outlets are housed in religious organizations.
In the end, NARTH’s attempts to not look anti-gay amount to nothing. Everything that they stand for is bunk, and the end effect is to perpetuate negative opinions of homosexuality.
NARTH is a joke and they are harming our nation. On a sadder note, they are doing great harm to themselves through their ignorant ideas. I’m sorry, NARTH, I’m so sorry.
If this brief refutation of their points has captured your interest, feel free to read the full NARTH document and the full APA Report. Compare their legitimacy for yourself.
You may have missed it on Friday afternoon, but ZFb is now the proud home of a fun new podcast called Queer and Queerer!
And it kind of happened very quickly. You see, Peterson Toscano and I have been hanging out a lot lately and just having some great conversations about LGBTQ issues and other things we have in common beyond our blogging and activism. Even though he’s not a staunch atheist like I am (he’s a Quaker, which is cool in its own ways), we both have our concerns about religion. As many know, Peterson spent a lot of time and money on reparative therapy trying to degayify himself, but of course, that didn’t work out so well. Another thing we have in common is that we’re both trying to get work in higher education, except I’m trying to get a full-time job in LGBT Affairs and he’s mostly trying to get performance gigs for his plays, Transfigurations—Transgender Bible Stories and I Can See Sarah Palin from my Window! with awesome workshops to go with, of course. We also both live in rural central Pennsylvania,which is an interesting experience in itself, and our age difference of 21 years informs our unique perspectives (and also allows for frequent “daddy” jokes, most coming from Peterson).
So, last week, I just said, “We should do a podcast! We should record these conversations!” At first I wasn’t sure my own idea was serious or whether he would think it was either, but he agreed, and we went for it, and so was born Queer and Queerer to rave reviews! We had a lot of fun doing it and are eager to continue putting out episodes!
Subscribe to the Queer and Queerer podcast and you can expect an episode once every week or two about queer news and culture, religion, and higher education. We’re just getting started, but as we progress, we hope to implement regular features to help give the show a unique identity. In the meantime, you can just enjoy the fun back-and-forth as we get on-and-off track about current and relevant issues, a unique blend of the serious and silly.
If you missed our first episode, go listen to it now! We had a fun conversation about Rufus Wainwright, 50 Cent, Ricky Martin, and the idea of satirical celebrity outing and also took a critical look at President Obama’s memo regarding hospital visitation rights. It was our first try, so we don’t have any music or anything yet, but I think our banter is pretty entertaining on its own!
We will be putting together another episode this week talking about official defection from the Catholic Church and the phenomenon of Gaypril, plus who knows where else the conversation will go? You’ll have to tune in to find out!
While Queer and Queerer episodes will be hosted here on ZFb, the podcast does have its own unique feed, so you can subscribe with your podcatcher or feedreader of choice without getting all of my other content. However, if you have feedback, please feel free to comment directly on the posts for each episode! Make sure you’re subscribed to Peterson’s blog so you can keep up with him too!
It was an interesting afternoon with William Tam’s testimony. You may recall he was going to be among the defendants, but requested to be withdrawn for fear of safety. Many have speculated that the real reason for his withdrawal was the content of his beliefs and messages used to support the Prop 8 campaign (as evidenced by this letter). This speculation was supported by the fact the plaintiffs called upon Tam to testify.
Most of the examinations focused on connecting or disconnecting Tam to the Prop 8 campaign, but we also learned some revealing things about Tam’s beliefs. He believes gays are 12 times more likely to molest children (no, that’s not paraphrased). He also believes same-sex marriage will lead to sex with children, incest, and prostitution. I’m not sure a lot of his facts about Europe were accurate, but he had concerns about the age of consent being lowered as well. (The map at right shows that the United States is awfully conservative when it comes to ages of consent compared to a lot of the world.) Brian Leubitz (P8TT) points out that the age of consent in Canada was raised from 14 to 16 AFTER same-sex marriage had been legalized, so Tam definitely was speaking falsehoods.
One of the things that struck me the most was that Tam testified he got a lot of his information about homosexuality (including that it’s a choice) from NARTH. He admitted that he trusts NARTH, but that he’s never looked at the American Psychological Association (which, as a reminder, renounces all of NARTH’s “science”). This kind of narrow thinking is what religion thrives on: Trust the source you agree with and ignore everything else. NARTH is not respected by any legitimate psychologists, but I doubt Tam cares.
On a day when we were reminded of the hateful ignorance that motivates discrimination in this country, I want to include some uplifting content in this post as well. Below are more tweets from Protect Mawwiage, as well as a new HIV Prevention Ad from France that is very well done (NSFW). Enjoy!
This week, Chris Geidner at Metro Weekly reported that the World Bank will be including PFOX (Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays) in their Community Outreach Program; they’ll be listed right below PFLAG. Wayne Besen at Truth Wins Out added that this was fraud on the part of PFOX, because they don’t have any local presence in DC—their headquarters being located in Reedville, VA, 127 miles away. TWO has since called upon the World Bank to remove PFOX from its outreach list, pointing out the group’s connections to Richard Cohen, his protégé Caleb Lee Brundidge who was part of the conference in Uganda that led to the death penalty bill being considered there, and Arthur Abba Goldberg, who scammed poor communities with complicated bond schemes.
This weekend at the Marriott Renaissance-Airport Hotel in Philadelphia, PA, the organization 
An acquaintance brought to my attention the fact that 
