The Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists has a new film project underway about reparative therapy: Abomination: Homosexuality and the Ex-Gay Movement.
Abomination focuses on four individuals for whom reparative or other ex-gay treatments have been unsuccessful: Nita, in rural Mississippi, who spent twenty years attempting to suppress her lesbian feelings; Dave, in New York City, who found the ex-gay community supportive but the “treatment” to be ultimately ineffective; Randy, an Arkansas minister who describes his difficult personal journey integrating a gay identity and religious life; and the tragic outcome for Mary Lou, an Arkansas mother estranged, on religious grounds, from her lesbian daughter.
Abomination also features prominent psychiatrist, Robert Spitzer, MD, who cuts through the media sensationalism and explains what his controversial research on reparative therapy actually means. It further features mental health experts who have studied and written about the ex-gay movement’s treatment failures, including: psychiatrists, Jack Drescher, MD, and David Scasta, MD and psychologist, Ariel Shidlo, PhD, as well as, the American Psychiatric Association’s James Scully, MD, and Annelle Primm, MD, explaining why mainstream, professional mental health organizations remain concerned about the harm caused by reparative therapies; the American Psychological Association’s Clinton Anderson, outlining the stance that mainstream mental health organizations have taken on homosexuality; and author, Wayne Besen, sharing his investigative findings of the ex-gay movement’s most prominent and sensational failures.
The AGLP is accepting contributions to assist in the production cost.
The AGLP is accepting contributions to assist in the production cost.
No, Timothy, don’t you really mean the AGLP is “currently arranging financing with wealthy homosexual activists to create a propaganda film to attack ex-gay ministries”? Or at least, that’s how I bet at least one “pro-family” group will spin this news. And then they will attack the credentials of any/all of the medical and scientific contributors (except for Spitzer, who will be described as being “manipulated” by said homosexual activists) but never once provide a reasonable counter-argument.
I am neither wealthy nor do I consider myself an activist. But I will give 20 bucks to help.
*smiles at CPT_Doom* He’s psychic!
This middle-class bisexual activist thinks it’s an awesome idea, and will also chip in 20 bucks. I love that they’re going to show these ideas’ effects on straight relatives and on family relationships, too. I keep seeing so much unnecessary pain and shame for parents in the literature.
This is interesting. I was happy that the conference that Exodus recently picketed pretty much ignored them.
It’s a sad world when the good news that gay people aren’t mental reprobates or incompetent is rejected.
That’s something I really can’t understand, and why Exodus debates this accepted reality.
I’ve pointed out that Exodus’s attitude about homosexuality is all over the place and they can’t make up their minds about what to call it and how to respond is inconsistent with how people with the disorders still listed are responded to.
In the law, in socio political terms.
I think what Exodus is really looking for is inferiority in homosexuality. The purpose to treat gays and lesbians like children who won’t behave and who deserve a time out if they don’t.
And the real world cannot give it to them. In fact, society cannot sustain anti gay discrimination.
Indeed, Exodus wouldn’t engage in an anti schizophrenic or bipolar disorder political agenda-so I have to ask them why isolate JUST gay people for such activity?
If they are concerned about mental health and the well being of individuals, then why don’t they come at sufferers of other disorders with Biblical disciplines and social exorcism?
We all know the reason why.
Maybe the Bible isn’t specific about the others.
But that didn’t stop The Inquisition and the burning and torture of people when it came to THEIR beliefs and understanding human functions or dysfunctions.
When science becomes specific, it’s intent is to save people from unnecessary hurt and isolation and the public from the same in fear and misunderstanding.
This is why psychiatry came to be.
For Exodus to not know up from down is inexcusable.
And I agree, they’ll dismiss this film as they are dismissing psychiatry and how it pertains to homosexuality EXCLUSIVELY.