Thread: Gay Cure Ban Going Up For Vote in CA

Originally Posted by GloriaInTX

Ok lets say you have a 10 year old son who has been molested by a man. Do you think its ok for it to be illegal for him to talk through with a therapist the feelings he may have as a result of that experience whether he might be gay or if it just what happened to him that is making him feel that way?

That's not what the law says. The article (quoted again below) talks about how therapists themselves worked to help refine the language to make sure that the normal theraputic process is not at issue.

He maintains that there are people who can, "with the help of a well trained therapist, move through a process where they grow away from homosexual attraction and move towards heterosexual attraction." He gave the example of a child who is molested by an adult of the same sex. "One suggestion would be you're confused, you're not gay. Now this bill is saying that for a therapist to suggest to someone that they're not gay is somehow illegal or would be wrong."
Mainstream psychological organizations in California were initially opposed to the law for similar reasons, but they withdrew their opposition after working with Sen. Lieu on the language of the bill. "Quite naturally there are many times when an adolescent is exploring their sexual identity and they may want to talk to a therapist about that," said Jo Linder-Crow, the executive director of the California Psychological Association. "We wanted to make sure that legitimate therapy would not be caught up in the definition used in the bill."

I don't think that talking through sexuality issues is what is being banned here, just specific "gay cure" therapy.

Originally Posted by Alissa_Sal

That's not what the law says. The article (quoted again below) talks about how therapists themselves worked to help refine the language to make sure that the normal theraputic process is not at issue.

I don't think that talking through sexuality issues is what is being banned here, just specific "gay cure" therapy.

Ok lets take it a little further and say this boy has homosexual feelings as a result of what happened to him and expresses a desire for the therapist to help him work through methods to stop feeling that way. The therapist uses some of the same methods that are identified in the gay cure methods. At what point does it become illegal?

Originally Posted by GloriaInTX

Ok lets take it a little further and say this boy has homosexual feelings as a result of what happened to him and expresses a desire for the therapist to help him work through methods to stop feeling that way. The therapist uses some of the same methods that are identified in the gay cure methods. At what point does it become illegal?

Do you think people develop homosexual feelings after being molested? Like, they weren't gay before?

Yeah, I would agree with Jessica that I'm not sure if there is a ton of evidence out there to suggest that being molested typically results in homosexual feelings. But if your case were true...I would hope that the therapist wouldn't use therapeutic methods that have been proven to be ineffectual and potentially harmful no matter whether it was illegal or not. I think the therapist should ideally talk through the issue with the patient and help them come to their own decisions about their sexuality, and I do think that should be (and most likely is, again, because therapists were careful about the wording on this one) legal.

It was this newfound hope," Guay said. Within six months to a year, the therapist promised him, Guay could overcome his attraction to men and learn to be attracted to women.

If being gay is a choice, why would we need a cure? Just choose not to be attracted to men. I mean, as a woman, I should be able to go to some sort of therapy to teach me to like women, right?

Originally Posted by ethanwinfield

If being gay is a choice, why would we need a cure? Just choose not to be attracted to men. I mean, as a woman, I should be able to go to some sort of therapy to teach me to like women, right?

Man, there are some days when my husband is tough to live with and being such a "guy" that I would KILL for that kind of therapy lol.

Originally Posted by GloriaInTX

Ok lets say you have a 10 year old son who has been molested by a man. Do you think its ok for it to be illegal for him to talk through with a therapist the feelings he may have as a result of that experience whether he might be gay or if it just what happened to him that is making him feel that way?

When my brother was 10 he was molested. A whole bunch of boys were molested by the same man. So, yes I'm slightly prejudiced in these situations because your example is an illegal act - sexual abuse. Being gay isn't against the law. I do not believe that pedophiles can be rehabilitated to prefer adult members of the opposite sex. The man who molested my brother said that the look and smell of women just made him physically ill. And, he was married with 2 children. Oh, and after he was released from prison, swearing that he was all better as a result of all his intense therapy and would never do it again, he was brought up on new charges.

I don't believe that being gay is a choice and I don't believe that any amount of therapy or coaching to learn to like the opposite sex will ever work. I think it will make the situation worse for the gay person. I am trying to picture myself sitting in a room with someone who is trying to convince me that I can learn to not be attracted to men anymore. It's comical. It's ingrained in my DNA - the attraction to men. Nobody could ever coach me to bat for the other team. Gays and lesbians feel the same. Why wouldn't they?

Originally Posted by Claire'sMommy

I don't believe that being gay is a choice and I don't believe that any amount of therapy or coaching to learn to like the opposite sex will ever work. I think it will make the situation worse for the gay person. I am trying to picture myself sitting in a room with someone who is trying to convince me that I can learn to not be attracted to men anymore. It's comical. It's ingrained in my DNA - the attraction to men. Nobody could ever coach me to bat for the other team. Gays and lesbians feel the same. Why wouldn't they?

So you are saying that the people who have been changed by treatments such as this are lying or what?

Originally Posted by GloriaInTX

So you are saying that the people who have been changed by treatments such as this are lying or what?

Yes. I think they're lying to themselves and to everyone in their lives. I believe that sexual orientation is determined like hair or eye colour. To deny it may work on the surface and temporarily, but I don't believe that anyone can every be 'cured' of their sexual preference. What a shame for those who have convinced themselves that they really are straight.

Originally Posted by Claire'sMommy

Yes. I think they're lying to themselves and to everyone in their lives. I believe that sexual orientation is determined like hair or eye colour. To deny it may work on the surface and temporarily, but I don't believe that anyone can every be 'cured' of their sexual preference. What a shame for those who have convinced themselves that they really are straight.

Why is it a shame if they are happier that way?