The APA treads Carefully in Denouncing Reparative Therapy
This Just In: the earth is round, gravity always wins, and the oceans are wet. Oh, and yes, and you cannot cure homosexuality by Reparative/Conversion Therapy. The American Psychological Association (APA) announced this month that the public should avoid psychologists that portray "homosexuality as a mental illness or developmental disorder...." The announcement came not because of the profound harm that youth and adults suffer at the hands of would-be snake-oil sales people peddling falsehoods and hate, but because there is no proof the methods work. The victory is refreshing, but somewhat hollow given the failure of APA to cite the psychological and physical damage done to "attempted cure" victims.
For All Those That Claim to Have Been Cured of Being Gay...
The APA resolution undercuts all those assertions from practitioners claiming to successfully change sexual orientation, because "there is insufficient evidence to support the use of psychological interventions to change sexual orientation." For all those that claim to have been "cured" the APA resolution suggests that at best, "some individuals learned how to ignore or not act on their homosexual attractions" for a period of time, but not necessarily long-term.
Let Them Eat Cake and Gay Ice Cream
GLBT Civil Rights seem to be unfolding in fits and starts, but always with some measure of increased empowerment. The APA once empowered legions of psychologists to cure GLBT citizens from their sexual orientation. That reparative therapy does not work is now the finding of that critical organization. While it would be better to acknowledge the damage done to individuals as a rationale to stop the practice, at the very least the APA took a step forward to stop the practice of reparative therapy for good.
Still yet another victory to celebrate today as Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream renamed (temporarily) their Chubby Hubby ice cream to celebrate full marriage equality in Vermont for the GLBT Community.
The new name is Hubby Hubby. I plan to go and immediately buy a stockpile. To those that dislike, disagree or stand in opposition to GLBT rights, I say, let them eat cake, and gay ice cream.