Reparative Therapy not needed, it merely leads to conflict

Healing a non-Disease

Ed Simpson has written an excellent post about the upcoming 'Interrogating the Pejorative - Considering Therapeutic Approaches and Contexts for those Conflicted in Sexual Identity'. I could save all those wanting to waste time and money on attending such an event with this simple summation.

Those conflicted in sexual identity are conflicted because other's say it isn't normal, that they need to be cured of it, that they can't find love or be loved because they have same sex attraction.

In other words lay off trying to cure us of something that isn't a disease. If that were to happen gay men, lesbians and bisexuals would still go to therapy, just as those who are straight do with real concerns. As is it many young people have to go through the growing up themselves, coming to terms with themselves first, then having to stand up to others. That's why when people like Gwyneth Paltrow want to raise the issue of same-sex attractiveness with their children when it is right to do so it should be applauded, not like the Daily Fail did condemn it.

That's why when in the Doctor Who story A good man goes to war with the thin, fat, gay, married, Anglican marines came up, and my elder nephew asked about that there was a quick glance between me and his parents. Was it time for them to explain that to him? After all best do it now before their uncle finds someone special and decides to settle down with him.

As with Apple Martin the daughter of Paltrow and her Coldplay frontman husband Chris Martin, each child has their own life experiences, when they first encounter the LGBT world is not necessarily something within the parents control. Somebody's mother or father from school may well identify as LGBT. It is how parents, teachers and leaders that come into that child and every child that leads to whether there is conflict or not in that child's upbringing. It may be that the child themself are identifying that in themselves. This first approach to the issue could be the start of the conflict that someone personally goes through, it has nothing to do their actual sexual identity but how it is perceived from others.

There is to be a presence outside the event on Tuesday here in Belfast. Trying to provide evidence of the additional trauma and conflict that reparative therapy can lead to. Some in church circles will be seething with outrage that LGBT people and their friends, will be outside a church building to protest. But then how many of them are also going to turn up to protest at the various pride events, or try and discourage or persuade people away from the LGBT venues on a regular basis.