Sophie Stolk
Collin Hull
English 2010
08 March 2015
The Problems with Sexual Reorientation Therapy
In 1986 homosexuality was removed from the DSM (Diagnosis and Statistics
Manual of Mental Disorders) as a diagnosis. Gregory Herek, a psychology professor at
University of California at Davis, and well known author wrote that the removal of
homosexuality as a diagnosis was based on:
In 1973, the weight of empirical data, couples with changing social norms
and the development of a
the United
politically active gay
community in
States, led the Board
of
Directors of the American
Psychiatric Association
remove homosexuality from
the Diagnostic and Statistical
Man protesting against conversion (reorientation)
therapy.
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) (par.
27).
In today’s society, we have all but overcome homosexuality as a difference, as
something that stops others from living a “regular” life. Today, most religions, races,
politics, organizations, etc. feel that same sex marriage should be a legal action, that
love is love. Despite the amount of support there is for those who identify as
homosexual, there are still certain religions and people that feel that it is an
abomination. Despite the historic steps that we have made there are still those that
believe that one can be “cured” of their sexual orientation (if one identifies as
homosexual). The problem with this belief is that most evidence that come from studies
done on reorientation don’t support it being an effective or reasonable option; therefore
not being an option that one should look towards. The arguments that stem from those
that feel reorientation therapy should not be used anymore are; it is seen as a form of
abuse on the individual, and as stated before - has been shown to be very ineffective in
its mission. From these two main arguments it is easy to propose that reorientation
therapy be stopped all together, or (in the worse case - so to speak) have certain
restrictions/bans.
One of the biggest arguments against reorientation therapy is that it is seen as a
form of abusive on/towards an individual. Most of the studies that are done to support
this are done on youths that have experienced reorientation therapy and the negative
outcomes. The types of treatments that are used seem completely obscene and are
seen as physical torture by some. An article done by Laura Hein and Alicia Matthews
states some of the type of treatments used:
(a)various talking-based therapies: individual and group (Beckstead &
Morrow, 2004; Ford, 2001; Socarides, 1995; Williamson, 2008; Yarhouse
et al., 2002); (b) electric shocks to the torso, hands, or genitals (faradic
therapy) while exposing the client to homoerotic material (Beckstead &
Morrow; Cox, 2000a; Ford); (c) exorcism (Besen, 2003; Ford; Human
Rights Campaign, 2000; Killian, 1996); (d) covert sensitization—imagining
an erotic situation and pairing this with something revolting or terror
inducing (Foucher, 2007; Human Rights Campaign; Summers, 2000;
Williams, 2005) and/or administration of emetics while homoerotic material
is presented (Penn, 2007); (e) restraints and isolation (Summers); and (f)
gender modification therapy (training in how to behave more heterogender-congruent: male coaching in sports activities; and female training
in coiffing or cosmetics application) (Beckstead & Morrow; Cox; Human
Rights Campaign) (32).
I feel that this is the biggest, most outstanding piece of evidence to support the
argument of abuse. It shows the ways that one can be physically abused for something
that does not even need to be changed. No individual deserves to be shocked to be turn
straight, no individual needs to have
training on how to behave more like a
heterosexual individual. Physical abuse is
not the only standing issue with
reorientation therapy, we also run into
mental abuse as a negative outcome.
Works Citied
Herek, Gregory M. "Homosexuality and Mental Health." Homosexuality and Mental
Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2015.
Hein, Laura C., and Alicia K. Matthews. "Reparative therapy: The adolescent, the psych
nurse, and the issues." Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing 23.1
(2010): 29-35.
Images Citied
Image 1: http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/sexinfo/article/conversion-therapy
Image 2: http://healthcareguild.com/humor.html