Ex-gay

The ex-gay or exodus movement is a movement, usually religious in nature, which claims that individuals may choose to change their sexual orientation from homosexuality or bisexuality to heterosexuality, with the assistance of counseling, prayer, and other techniques (see also reparative therapy). Most ex-gay organizations also target people who identify as transgender, on the basis that they consider such feelings or behaviour to be related to homosexuality, and/or express concerns that disassociating gender identity from physical sex also necessarily means disassociating sexual orientation from physical sex.

Dissenting views

Many gay rights groups and scientists sharply dispute the movement's claims, and see sexual orientation as genetic and sexual attitudes as being largely formed before adulthood. Many medical groups have stated that there are no scientifically rigorous studies to evaluate whether ex-gay treatments are beneficial and that no studies substantiate their claims of sexual orientation change. Some of these groups have also stated that attempts to change one's sexuality are potentially harmful, yet no studies exist here either.

Related Topics:
Gay rights - Scientist - Sexual orientation - Adulthood - Medical

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The American Psychological Association's position is that human beings cannot choose to be either gay or straight, and that sexual orientation is not a conscious choice that can be voluntarily changed. In fact, the Association goes even further, stating that

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: "Even though most homosexuals live successful, happy lives, some homosexual or bisexual people may seek to change their sexual orientation through therapy, sometimes pressured by the influence of family members or religious groups to try and do so. The reality is that homosexuality is not an illness. It does not require treatment and is not changeable." 1

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The American Psychiatric Association has stated that

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: "Clinical experience suggests that any person who seeks conversion therapy may be doing so because of social bias that has resulted in internalized homophobia, and that gay men and lesbians who have accepted their sexual orientation positively are better adjusted than those who have not done so."

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However, Dr Robert Spitzer, responsible for persuading the American Psychiatric Association to remove ?homosexuality? as a ?disorder?, more recently said:

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:?(S)ome people can change from gay to straight, and we ought to acknowledge that.?http://www.townhall.com/opinion/reviews/ryanzempel/2004/10/01/13204.html

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Other organisations such as The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Counseling Association, American Association of School Administrators, American Federation of Teachers, American Psychological Association, American School Health Association, Interfaith Alliance Foundation, National Association of School Psychologists, National Association of Social Workers, and National Education Association have developed and endorsed a statement in 1999 reading:

Related Topics:
American Academy of Pediatrics - American Counseling Association - American Association of School Administrators - American Federation of Teachers - American Psychological Association - American School Health Association - Interfaith Alliance Foundation - National Association of School Psychologists - National Association of Social Workers - National Education Association

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:"The most important fact about 'reparative therapy,' also sometimes known as 'conversion' therapy, is that it is based on an understanding of homosexuality that has been rejected by all the major health and mental health professions. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Counseling Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, and the National Association of Social Workers, together representing more than 477,000 health and mental health professionals, have all taken the position that homosexuality is not a mental disorder and thus there is no need for a 'cure.' ...health and mental health professional organizations do not support efforts to change young people's sexual orientation through 'reparative therapy' and have raised serious concerns about its potential to do harm."

Related Topics:
Reparative therapy - American Academy of Pediatrics - American Counseling Association - American Psychiatric Association - American Psychological Association - National Association of School Psychologists - National Association of Social Workers - Harm

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Some proponents of the ex-gay movement believe that sexuality is changeable in later life, but that homosexuality is not sinful. Some opponents feel the same (see homosexuality and morality), but condemn the ex-gay movement on the grounds that it is unnecessary and counterproductive, or both.

Related Topics:
Sin - Homosexuality and morality

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Because of several well-publicized failures and the political nature of the subject, the ex-gay movement has been extensively ridiculed by gay rights activists, who charge that the suppression of homosexuality only leads to inappropriate outbursts thereof and contributes to fear and suffering. Author and former Human Rights Campaign spokesperson Wayne R. Besen has extensively covered the ex-gay movement and describes it in his book Anything But Straight: Unmasking The Scandals and Lies Behind the 'Ex-Gay' Myth, which also deals with so-called reparative therapy of homosexuality. It was Besen who photographed John Paulk leaving a gay bar and who investigated witnesses in the case of Michael Johnston (see above).

Related Topics:
Human Rights Campaign - Reparative therapy

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A recent survey by two gay psychologists, Michael Schroeder and Ariel Shidlo (2002) of those who have undergone various conversion therapies indicates that, while there are indeed some who claim to have maintained a change in behaviour and a very small number who report a change in orientation, these are far fewer than ex-gay organisations such as Exodus and Narth regularly claim, and are outnumbered by those left with worsened problems of depression, anxiety and alcohol/drug addiction. The two Schroder/Shidlo papers suggest that part of the problem is that many conversion therapists fail to conform to professional guidelines, for example by pressuring patients into undergoing one line of treatment, and by failing to provide any support or recommend alternative help for those who fail to sustain any change. The discrepancy between the Exodus/Narth estimates of success of conversion therapies and those of other bodies appears to be explained by the fact that many former ex-gays report having falsely reported success to their therapists for a prolonged time. It is worth noting that 7 out of the 8 respondents who reported a change in sexual preferences to Schroeder and Shidlo were employed as counsellors by various Ex-gay groups (something which also applies to the more widely-publicised study by Spitzer, which only focused on a group of successes picked by the ex-gay groups, and had a more cursory interview technique based on telephone conversation only). In the light of Wayne Besen's comments outlined above, and the experiences of groups such as Courage Trust in the UK, there is scope for scepticism even about these few reported successes.

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Despite the opposition of most mental health professionals and the very limited evidence of any lasting impact on sexual preferences or behaviour, the various movements for "former homosexuals" have played an important role in the political debate in recent years. In part, this may represent a tactical shift away from shock tactics (such as the campaign in the 1990s, based upon statistics about homosexuality which were soon discredited) towards cultivating a more caring public face, while still opposing toleration of homosexuality. A critical assessment of this is outlined in Surina Khan's article 'Calculated Compassion' http://www.publiceye.org/equality/x-gay/X-Gay.html#P2_0.

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