Study: 'Ex-Gay Movement' Focusing On Gay Youth

[davidinalameda]

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/03/030206youth.htm

A report released Thursday says that the so-called ex-gay movement is turning from attempting to convert gay adults to heterosexuality and is now focusing on gay teens.

Called 'Youth in the Crosshairs' the report was prepared by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. It says that groups such as Exodus International and Focus on the Family now recommend "prevention" and conversion therapy "treatments".

Such efforts have been discredited by medical experts including the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association.

In targeting teens the report says "ex-gay" groups are targeting parents.

[mzteris]

1. Crosshairs?

Sounds violent.

[BOSSHOG]

2. Why don't these

Nazi motherfuckers just build ovens and stop pretending to be legitimate and give up the pretense of honesty. "Prevention" "Conversion" "Therapy" This crap from the religiously insane who spend every waking moment hating.

[tanyev]

3. Prehomosexuality?

"Whether through ex-gay teen programs or traveling ex-gay conferences like Focus on the Family's Love Won Out ex-gay programs are recommending that parents commit their children to treatment of 'prehomosexuality' even if it is against their children's wishes.

[TechBear_Seattle]

4. Sounds like they recognize their abject failure with adults

So, as with any indoctrination program, it is best to get them while they are young. Teach them about sin, bigotry and self-loathing at an early age, and you can destroy them for life (which won't be long, given the suicide rates.) Try to do the same after they have a chance to develop some modicum of reasoning skills and a sense of self-worth, and you have lost them forever.

[tanyev]

6. One of the cases mentioned in the article was a 5 year old kid.

I can't begin to imagine the damage that is done to a young child when you start trying to "fix" their sexuality when they don't even know what sexuality is.

[megatherium]

11. This might be based on the well-known research that 75% of male

children identified as "sissies" by their peers grow up to be gay men. So the logic of Dobson and company is that boys who show signs of being feminine, or isolated from gender-typical play or isolated from male peers, should be taught/made to engage in male-typical behavior or play. I haven't read his books, but I've leafed through them and this seems to be the gist of them. The problem with this logic of course is that the boys might be feminine because they are gay, not gay because they are feminine. Never mind the larger issue, that there is nothing wrong with gender-atypical behavior or homosexuality, in the first place! I find a world where there are feminine, nurturing men to be a wonderful place. (Also, of course, there are gay men who were not feminine as children and are not as adults, and that's also good.)

[xchrom]

5. so they want permission t help parents abuse their children?

[sui generis]

7. that's fine. they're just doing our work for us

and they don't even get convection microwave oven for everyone they convert to an angry fundie hating gay.

You can't pray someone's green eyes brown. Sooner or later that kid is gonna bust out of the closet and when he does, he or she is going to be MAD AS HELL!

[pro_blue_guy]

8. Ugh

So now these groups want to confuse gay teens even more; teenage years and being gay is a very very tough time in one's life (I know)..........and what we don't need is people telling gay teens that they are horrible for being gay.


THese groups need to mind their own business.

[sakabatou]

9. These treatments are dangerous

not only to the mind, but body as well.

[NMMNG]

10. Grrrr

"To the contrary, conversion therapy is opposed by nearly every medical and mental health professional association, including the American Academy of Pediatrics."

A study of 202 former conversion therapy clients published in 2002 reported that 176 participants experienced significant harm, including depression, social isolation, low self-esteem, internalized homophobia and even attempted suicide. The study also found ethical concerns and violations, including the use of false and prejudicial information disguised as science to convince clients that they needed treatment.


Like fundies have ever relied on facts or honesty for anything. :eyes:

These places and associated practitioners should be condemned and closed down as the child-abusers that they are.

[MikeStl]

12. These disgusting people were just in town

Just had to deal with these Love Won Out people here in St. Louis a couple weeks ago. Their website does use the word "prevent". I just find that so horrible and scary as to what these people are capable of. I think we really got to fight this one...fighting back saying these therapies don't work, are harmful, etc just isn't cutting it anymore. Arguing with them about if it is genetic is pointless as well. I also feel it is falling into their trap in derailing the issue. I think we need need to go on the offensive in driving the point that these are criminal acts of abuse and will not be tolerated. That the origins of homosexuality and how much of an ability people have to change is irrelevant. That they are pushing a purely religious agenda that is irrelevant in the field of psychology where they are trying to put it. That is the point we need to stick to and not let them take us off it. They do not deserve one ounce of credibility.