In 1963, concern about the increase in homosexuality prompted the New York Academy of Medicine to address the subject of homosexuality. Noting that some homosexuals were arguing that sexual deviancy is a 'desirable, noble, preferable way of life', they issued the following statement: "Homosexuality is indeed an illness. The homosexual is an emotionally disturbed individual who has not acquired the normal capacity to develop satisfying heterosexual relations." 1.
Until 1994, when all references to 'sexual orientation related disorders' was removed from the official policies of the American Medical Association, this perspective was used to justify therapies for treating homosexuality. 2.
The American Psychiatric Association also viewed homosexuality as a mental disorder until 1973. Over the years cures for treating homosexuality included: castration or vasectomy(1890's), hypnosis (1890's to 1960's), lobotomy (early 1900's to 1950's), analysis, hospitalization or institution(1920's to 1970's), aversion therapy, including drug caused nausea or electroshock (to the 1970's), and abstinence (1890's to the present).3.
Demands for normalizing homosexual behaviors occurred in the early 1970's. A homosexual faction in the American Psychiatric Association(APA) planned to disrupt the annual meetings of the APA, challenging a paper presentation on homosexuality and transsexualism. The following year the APA agreed to sponsor a special panel led by homosexuals. The Gay Liberation Front planned a demonstration at the meetings. On May 3, 1971, gay activists broke into a meeting, grabbed a microphone, and declared, "Psychiatry has waged a relentless war of extermination against us. You may take this as a declaration of war against you."
"In 1973 the APA voted to strike homosexuality from the officially approved list of psychiatric illnesses." Only about one-third of the membership was involved in this decision. A follow-up survey reported that "69 percent of psychiatrists disagreed with the vote and still considered homosexuality a disorder." The American Psychological Association voted to follow the lead set by the APA. 4.
Psychiatrist Jeffrey Satinover lamented that although psychiatry is presumably a scientific discipline and makes its decisions based on scientific evidence, the changes in definition and classification were determined not by scientific evidence, but were corrupted by politics. 5.
Political pressure again affected decisions of the APA when in 1994 the chairman of the APA's Committee on the Abuse and Misuse of Psychiatry presented to the Board of Trustee's a change, making it a "violation of professional conduct for a psychiatrist to help a homosexual patient become heterosexual even at the patient's request." When the board sent the statement to its legislative body, a fierce battle ensured.
Therapists who help homosexuals change and ex-homosexuals threatened to file a lawsuit against the APA and reopen consideration of the 1973 decision, which removed homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses. However, the Gay and Lesbian Task Force continued to challenge not only psychiatrists who undertook reparative therapy, but also to challenge psychologists, social workers, pastoral counselors, and ministers. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), which accredits mental health practitioners, was also lobbied by gay activists to declare the use of reparative therapies a violation of the NASW Code of Ethics.6.
BACKLASH ON 'REPARATIVE THERAPY'
NARTH
The APA met challenges to its assertion that counselors should refrain from helping homosexuals change their sexual orientation. In the mid 1990's professionals concerned about the APA retreat from therapy formed the National Association for Research and Treatment of Homosexuality (NARTH) to serve as an alternative to APA and a referral service for homosexual clients. By 2000 the membership was over 1000. NARTH is a "professional, scientific organization that offers hope to those who struggle with unwanted homosexuality." It provides educational information, conducts and collects scientific research, and promotes therapeutic treatment to those seeking their help. NARTH contends that "The right to seek therapy to change one's sexual adaptation should be considered self-evident and inalienable." 7.
Dr. Spitzer's testimony
Psychiatrist Robert L. Spitzer had offered key testimony in 1973 stating homosexuality was not a clinical disorder, leading to the APA proposal that declassified homosexuality as mental disorder. Several decades later, however, Spitzer, a professor of Biometric Research at Columbia University and Co-Editor of Psychiatry's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual reversed his position, contending that mental health professionals had abandoned homosexuals who were attempting to change their sexual orientation. After former homosexuals picketed an APA meeting, Dr. Spitzer talked to numerous ex-gays and had a radical change of mind about the possibility of homosexuals changing their orientation. Spitzer conducted a study, interviewing 143 males and 57 females, to determine whether and how people change sexual orientation. Spitzer concluded that the research "Shows some people can change from gay to straight, and we ought to acknowledge that."
Initially many colleagues and members of the gay community felt outraged and betrayed at his change in perspective. Spitzer noted, "I think that has largely dissipated. But also, I'm at the point in my career that I don't worry about such things," He added, "the politically correct term now is reorientation therapy. Reparative already implies something's broken - of course the reparative therapists believe this, but it kind of infuriates the gays to even call it reparative therapy." 8.
Exodus International
Christian leaders stepped forward to protect the rights of homosexuals who sought to change their sexual orientation. In 1973, Frank Worthen ministered to homosexuals in the U.S. He organized a conference of ex-gay ministers who formed a coalition called Exodus International, North America. In 1978 a group formed in Australia, followed by an independent group, Exodus Europe, which formed in the Netherlands in 1982. Leaders from around the world joined in 2004 to form Exodus Global Alliance. "Exodus is a nonprofit, interdenominational Christian organization promoting the message of Freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ...Exodus is the largest Christian referral and information network dealing with homosexual issues in the world." Each year over 1000 members and interested persons come together for instruction and celebration in a five-day event in cities throughout North America. 9.
Love Won Out Conference
Love Won Out Conferences are organized by Focus on the Family to minister to those who struggle with unwanted same-sex attractions and to family and friends of those who are living homosexually. Since 1998, Love Won Out has traveled to more than 50 American cities to bring "the power of God's love and His desire to transform the life of a struggling homosexual to find freedom in Jesus Christ." Attendance is limited to adults, although participants ages 16-18 may attend if accompanied by a parent. Speakers include ex gays and lesbians,Christian counselors, ministers, and educators. Melissa Fryrear, an ex-lesbian and director of gender issues for Focus on the Family notes that many protestors often have attended the conferences carrying signs accusing Love Won Out with intolerance and bigotry. She says, "There is nothing intolerant about what we say,". An 18 year-old gay attendee commented, "While I strongly disagree with many points in your message, you presented them in a loving way. I think it's important that people look at all sides of this issue...This conference was informing." 10.
REFERENCES
1. Satinover, Jeffrey. Homosexuality and the Politics of Truth.Grand Rapids, MI:Baker Books. 1996:32.
2. The Gay Almanac.Compiled by the National Museum & Archive of Lesbian and Gay History. New York:Berkley Books. 1996:221.
3. Ibid.
4. Satinover:32-35.
5. Ibid:37.
6. Ibid: 35-36.
7. NARTH. http://www.narth.com/index.html. 1/24/2010.
8. Adamson, Victor J. "Homosexual change study supports reparative therapy."
Report from the American Association of Christian Counselors. June 13, 2001.
http://www.victorjadamson.com/articles2/article.php?id=4. 1/23/10.
Leblanc, Douglas. "Therapeutically Incorrect: Atheist psychiatrist argues that gays can change." Christianity Today. April 2005, Vol.49, No. 4:94.
Spitzer, Robert L. http://borngay.procon.org/viewsource.asp?ID=003506.1/24/10.
9. Exodus. "Who We Are". http://www.exodusinternational.org/about_exodus.shtml. 1/25/2010.
Exodus History. http://www,exodusglobalalliance.org/ourhistoryc87.php. 1/25/2010
10. Fryrear, Melissa. "Love Won Out is about ministry, not intolerance." Focus on the Family. Feb. 19, 2009.
Focus on the Family. Love Won Out Conference advertising brochure. 2004.
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