Verified Document

Conversion Therapy Is A Topic That Has Essay

Conversion therapy is a topic that has both critics and supporters and has been recently in the news ever since California came out with a law banning conversion therapy for teenagers and children (Buchanan, 2012). Critics say that the therapy is an example of pseudo-science that it forcibly tries to change the gay's person's sexual tendencies and that, since this is unnatural and impossible, only eventuates in guilt and depression. Supporters, on the other hand, maintain that, as like every other therapy, conversion therapy cannot be expected to help all. More so, there are some individuals who do wish to change their sexual tendencies and, therefore, they should be enabled to sign up for conversion therapy would they so wish. Finally, the government has no right to interfere unless conversion therapy has been shown to be destructive to all clients; and this is has not yet evidenced itself to be. What is conversion therapy?

Conversion therapy, also known as reparative therapy, is a particular method that purports to be able to change the sexual orientation of a person (American Psychological Association, February 2008).

The therapy itself has long roots and can be traced to three different phases: the early Freudian period when psychoanalysts and the lay culture largely approved of conversion therapy since either thought homosexuality to be unnatural (although Freud himself disagreed on this point);, the mid period when disproval towards conversion therapy non-existent, and a post-Stonewall period when the mainstream medical and psychiatric profession completely reversed its tone and condemned conversion therapy (Just the Facts Coalition, 1999). Although Freud did not consider homosexuality to be pathological, psychoanalysis's of the 1920s judged homosexuality to be unnatural and classified it as an illness warranting treatment. This stance was aggravated in the 1930s and 1950s where American psychoanalysts such as Bergler insisted that homosexuality was a perversion and could be cured in at least 90% of the time. Those who failed to be cured lacked the will to do so. Bergler and others received notoriety for applying harsh behavioral methods and bullying homosexuals into conversion...

United States Surgeon General, David Satcher, for instance stated that "there is no valid scientific evidence that sexual orientation can be changed." (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2001). However, Spitzer had once conducted a study that showed that highly determined individuals could change their orientation with some form of reparative therapy. He since then recanted his study and apologized to the gay community. The American Psychological Association (2009) similarly stated that:
It 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 and 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

Dispute arises when certain organizations, mental health professionals and pastoral care providers, attempt to treat homosexuality by methods that involve aversive treatments (such as nauseating drugs accompanied with homoerotic stimuli), masturbatory reconditioning, visualization, social skills training, psychoanalytic therapy, and spiritual interventions, such as groups support and prayers (Haldeman 2002). Conversion therapy strongly believes that homosexuality can be reconditioned and uses several techniques to set about to do so.

There are about 70 therapists who currently practice conversion therapy in 20 states of the U.S.A.

Argument for Conversion Therapy

Some state that they have wished to change their sex; that being religious, let's say, they have wished to have 'normal' heterosexual relationships; that conversion therapy…

Sources used in this document:
References.

American Psychological Association, February 2008 (PDF) Answers to Your Questions: For a Better Understanding of Sexual Orientation and Homosexuality http://www.apa.org/topics/sexuality/orientation.aspx?item=8

Buchanan, W (September 29, 2012). State bans gay-repair therapy for minors. San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/State-bans-gay-repair-therapy-for-minors-3906032.php

Gans, Laura A. (1999) Inverts, Perverts, and Converts: Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy and Liability, The Boston University Public Interest Law Journal 8

Haldeman, Douglas C. (2002), Gay Rights, Patient Rights: The Implications of Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice 33 (3): 260
http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/just-the-facts.pdf
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/sexualhealth/call.htm#III]
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Conversion Therapy What It Is
Words: 2151 Length: 7 Document Type: Research Paper

Tragically, it harms the most vulnerable among us -- children. This must stop Please, send Senate Bill 1172 to the Assembly floor for a vote. It is the right thing to do. Thank you. (Domi,, 2012 ). My Opinion Advocates of conversion therapy are correct in maintaining that as long as the therapy helps a quantifiable amount of people, and these people voluntarily choose that theory, it should be maintained. The question

Sickle Gene Therapies for Sickle
Words: 1128 Length: 4 Document Type: Annotated Bibliography

Implications for ongoing research into genetic therapies and side effects/later developments are discussed at length. Yannaki, E. & Stamatoyannopoulos, G. (2010). Hematopoietic stem cell mobilization strategies for gene therapy of beta thalassemia and sickle cell disease. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1202: 59-63. Though the clinical trial these two researchers are involved in does not yet have results that are ready for publication, the review of the risks

Homosexuality and Religion
Words: 870 Length: 3 Document Type: Research Paper

Homosexuality and Religion Homosexuality & Religion Defining Homosexuality Homosexuality and Religion Teachings of Roman Catholic Church Pastoral care of Homosexuals Views of Protestants Episcopal Church on Homosexuality Southern Baptist Religion and Discrimination against Homosexuals Harm Caused by Discrimination and the Religious Correlation Homosexuality and Religion In this research paper the author discusses Homosexuality within religious context. This research paper examines the functioning of policies of discrimination towards non-heterosexuals in Christian churches and determines if these policies are harmful to non-heterosexuals in the

Gay Foster Children
Words: 2982 Length: 10 Document Type: Term Paper

homeless and runaway young people is viewed by many authorities as a human rights condition that grows out of poverty and victimization, often right in their family settings, and later, in the street (Farrow 1992) where they are further exposed to violence and other forms of dysfunction.. The International Perspective on the Health Needs of Homeless Youth uses the terms "street children" to refer to those below 18 years old

Ethical and Legal Dilemmas in Counseling
Words: 2715 Length: 9 Document Type: Essay

Abstract In this essay, we discuss the ethical and legal dilemmas in counseling.  While many people talk about the benefits of counseling, there is no question that mental health professionals are often confronted with tricky and complex legal and ethical issues.  In this article, we discuss some of those issues, how counselors confront them, and what legal obligations attach to them.  We begin with an introduction of the American Psychological Organization’s

Current Interventions for Atrial Fibrillation
Words: 1259 Length: 4 Document Type: Term Paper

Atrial Fibrillation Simply stated, atrial fibrillation describes a condition in which the human heart beats at an excessively rapid rate that can result in diminished blood flow to the body. While the condition is not typically life-threatening, atrial fibrillation still requires immediate medical care because left untreated, the condition can result in adverse, long-term complications. To determine the facts, this paper reviews the relevant literature concerning the etiology and pathogenesis

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now