If You're Gay--You Better Stay that Way

Well, the APA (American Psychological Association) is at it again playing the activist role rather than the social science one when it comes to homosexuality (Hat Tip a href=”http://nationalpsychologist.com/”The National Psychologist/a). The National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality a href=”http://www.narth.com/index.html”(NARTH)/a is a national association of mental health professionals serving men and women who are dissatisfied with their homosexual attractions. br /br /Personally, I’m skeptical about turning gay people straight. But shouldn’t the client be the one to choose, not the APA? The APA has decided that the answer is no.br /br /Not only did the APA deny CE (Continuing Education) credit to professionals attending the annual NARTH conference in November, stating that “The program content is not consistent with APA policy” but the APA is attempting to declare therapy to modify sexual orientation unethical (National Psychologist, March,April 2006). Nicholas Cummings and Rogers Wright, authors of a href=”http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?link_code=as2path=ASIN/0415950864tag=wwwviolentkicomcamp=1789creative=9325″Destructive Trends in Mental Health,/aimg src=”http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=wwwviolentkicoml=as2o=1a=0415950864″ width=”1″ height=”1″ border=”0″ alt=”” style=”border:none !important; margin:0px !important;”/talk about the APA’s attempt to a href=”http://www.narth.com/docs/insiders.html”silence those who disagree /awith their positions:br /br /blockquoteWhen writing their newly released book a href=”http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?link_code=as2path=ASIN/0415950864tag=wwwviolentkicomcamp=1789creative=9325″Destructive Trends in Mental Health,/aimg src=”http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=wwwviolentkicoml=as2o=1a=0415950864″ width=”1″ height=”1″ border=”0″ alt=”” style=”border:none !important; margin:0px !important;” / Wright and Cummings invited the participation of a number of fellow psychologists who flatly turned them down–fearing loss of tenure, loss of promotion, and other forms of professional retaliation. “We were bombarded by horror stories,” Dr. Cummings said. “Their greatest fear was of the gay lobby, which is very strong in the APA.” br /br /’Homophobia as intimidation’ is one of the most pervasive techniques used to silence anyone who would disagree with the gay activist agenda,” said Cummings. “Sadly, I have seen militant gay men and lesbians– who I am certain do not represent all homosexuals, and who themselves have been the object of derision and oppression– once gaining freedom and power, then becoming oppressors themselves./blockquotebr /Perhaps the APA should turn the mirror on itself when it comes to being intolerant and closed-minded. APA articles a href=”http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/07/22_politics.shtml”such as this one /a claim that Conservatives have an intolerance for ambiguity — but isn’t intolerance of ambiguity just what the APA is engaging in on the issue of homosexuality? Isn’t it extreme to go from diagnosing homosexuality as a mental illness in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) a href=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diagnostic_and_Statistical_Manual_of_Mental_Disorders”prior to 1973/a to claiming that NARTH has no right to help those who emwant/em to change their sexual orientation to do so? Should we really trust an institution that swings to such extremes when it comes to psychological issues, and yet insists that it is right in whatever position it takes?br /br /If clients want to change their sexual orientation, shouldn’t they be able to make that choice just like the clients who embrace being gay or heterosexual? (How would the APA act if someone else were trying to shut down therapists who assisted formerly “straight” clients with getting in touch with their “gay” feelings?) Is the appearance of political correctness so entrenched in the APA that they would violate their own ethical code of client autonomy, self-determination or diversity? br /br /I guess the answer to the last question is “Yes.”br /br /Update: Please help me in my support of the book, a href=”http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?link_code=as2path=ASIN/0415950864tag=wwwviolentkicomcamp=1789creative=9325″Destructive Trends in Mental Health./aimg src=”http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=wwwviolentkicoml=as2o=1a=0415950864″ width=”1″ height=”1″ border=”0″ alt=”” style=”border:none !important; margin:0px !important;” / I have purchased several copies and hope that others will too–give them to your favorite therapist or mental health professional or read them yourself. The book is chock full of great information on political correctness with chapters ranging from “The Psychology of Victimhood” to “The Dumbing Down of Psychology.” br /br /a href=”http://www.narth.com/docs/insiders.html””Wright described /athe difficulties he has encountered with the American Psychological Association since the Association instituted a “strategic decision not to respond” to their book in an effort to avoid attracting attention to it. Initially, the APA prohibited its member-publications from reviewing Destructive Trends. “So much for diversity and open-mindedness,” Wright added wryly.”br /br /Update: a href=”http://drhelen.blogspot.com/2006/03/podcast-on-apa-destructive-trends-in.html”Listen to our podcast /a on this issue as well as psychology and politics with Dr. Nicholas Cummings here.