Have you heard of a "Homosexual Therapist?"

[Simriel]

Not sure what I think of this, to be honest.

My theory of sexuality is that people are on a sliding bar, with heterosexuality on one side and homosexuality on the other. Some people prefer to have opposite-gender partners but wouldn't be unable to have a same-sex relationship. I see it a bit strange that people very neatly fall into one of three categories.

Then again, that might just be the world through my eyes.

That's called the Kinsey scale, and its an already established theory on sexuality, one I subscribe to.

 

[Fishyash]

It's not too big a problem IMO. I disagree that homosexuality can be 'cured' though.

It's their choice whether they want to see him or not, wether they acctually believe him or that they think it may be comforting for them to see him.

To be honest I don't really know how to respond. I know it doesn't work but I don't really have a problem with it existing.

 

[Bobbity]

To be fair, he did make a point to say that he is in no way condemning homosexuality and for people who choose to accept it and live that lifestyle, more power to them. His mission is to help those that do not want to be gay. And curiously, for that, he is reviled by the gay community. According to his own testimony, he has been described by them as the number one enemy of the gay movement (which I could believe).

The problem is that the whole perception that being gay is wrong, or that someone might experience homosexual tendancies, but not want to be gay, is what upsets their community, and I can see why.

Besides which, the whole idea of a therapist to cure someone of their sexuality - as if it's a disease - is abhorrent, to be perfectly honest.

 

[Stilkon]

I've heard somewhere that there has not been one single case of "gay rehabilitation" that has worked. Then again, I think I heard this from Rachel Maddow, so it's probably exaggerated.

 

[Kargathia]

So essentially the guy is offering psychological guidance for closet heterosexuals, and the homosexual community is screaming foul because they've finally achieved the equal status they've been craving.

/golfclap.

 

[Peteron]

I don't think you can "cure" homosexuality. This guy is just hiding gay thoughts deep in someones mind I guess. Well, either way, if someone is gay and doesn't want to be, theres no reason he/she shouldn't go through this therapy. I could see why gay supporters don't like this, but in all honesty, its out of their control.

 

[Treefingers]

Most likly, his "confusion" was just confusion, and he's always been straight.

So effectively you're saying that he's right?

 

[Griffolion]

If some homosexual feelings come about through childhood abuse but the individual knows they are very much straight, then maybe it's okay to see a therapist about that because that person will want to know clearly who they are and how they feel. But first and foremost it's about accepting who you are and why it's totally okay to be you (unless you're like Anders Breivic, then you should probably commit yourself before you hurt someone).

I'm just uneasy about a "homosexual therapist", it's almost like saying gay thoughts even in the slightest require therapy, which is a really un-accepting thing to do.

 

[Blaster395]

So some guy tries to teach you to pretend your not gay? Sounds bogus.

 

[mrblakemiller]

People have not given me a good reason to why this bothers them. It's not your life. The best you have is that "it's unhealthy". Unless you're required to foot the bill for it, I find it rather hard to object to this.

You forget.. I have sex with men. Had my friends, family and the people around me been a little less understanding of that fact, had I not discovered a very loving and open community ready to accept me at the confusing points before and when I came out, I could well have been one of the poor people taken in by the unrealistic promises of people like this ****.

Yes, my life probably would be easier if I was straight, so yes, I am the target audience for this kind of crap. Fortunately, I don't think those difficulties my fault and I don't think I should have to do anything about it. This "therapist" wants to tell me I can, and that carries the assumption that I should. What kind of an idiot does not want an easier life?

My great fortune, and the thing this parasite seems to have missed in his own experience, is that I don't think having an easier life should mean not living my life. I want my life to be easier, I don't want to have to pay someone else to try and make it easier for me to live a lie (and probably to fail). It's not a fair choice, it's an insult and a confidence trick. I have every right to demand to be treated fairly on the basis of my sexuality, I have every right to live my life without regretting that I don't have the good fortune to be born straight, and this guy certainly doesn't have the right to make money off of me if, through no fault of my own, I do end up in that position of regret.

So let's see here...

The guy offering this service (not forcing it on anyone) is a **** because you don't think it works...

You obviously don't believe any of the success stories you can look up from programs like this guy's...

you want "your" life to be easier and don't want to have some "other, easier life" instead (which is a misuse of terms at the least, my life is arguably different depending on what clothes I'm wearing)...

To be blunt, no you still don't have a reason to be mad at this guy yourself. It's like being mad at a barber who gives other people ugly haircuts that they pay for and are grateful for. What you're really saying is that people who wants this guy's service are wrong to want it, shouldn't be allowed to get it, and must continue in the unhappy state they're in because it keeps your sexuality from feeling maligned or insulted.

 

[Ziggy the wolf]

i will admit have homosexual thoughts but i am not gay or bisexual nor have an any issues or want to be gay. i am a furry and no i was never raped by a furry plus i know alot gay furs who never had that issue of rape or abuse. they just perfer the penis so it isnt a cure. people might not want to be gay at first but they find grow into it. yes this therapist decided he wasnt gay, it might of been a phase but not all are like that. now if you don't mind i have to hang with my good friend who is gay as the day is long

 

[Mathak]

Sounds like a prime candidate for one of those juicy blowjob-in-airport-bathroom-stall scandals. But he doesn't hear the demonic whisperings anymore! Honest!

 

[tahrey]

I only have time for one post today, so I'm going to waste it on this, in reply to the OP:

Your opinions are flawed. Gay animals exist. Experimental science has found evidence for the existence of a "gay gene" that controls the expression of sex hormones in the brain and response to various stimuli - which, when we get down to emotionless brass tacks, is all that sexual orientation really is. Other anthropological and sociobiological ones suggest that there can actually be evolutionary advantage for animals that live in medium to large social groups in having some homosexual members - who therefore aren't spending all their time concentrating on attracting a mate, reproducing, then raising the young and can provide other support roles... even though they don't actually end up contributing to the gene pool directly, populations that have a pool with a greater likelihood of generating "gay" members (of either gender) may then end up being selected for. Particularly if the environment's carrying capacity, and the species' rate of reproduction, means that there wouldn't be any much more advantage in being able to pump out an extra litter or three of offspring every year, vs being able to more reliably bring a slightly smaller (or, if carrying capacity is quite limited, exactly the same) number to maturity.

Epigenetics, lerns dem.


/not gay, just a biologist by training and still with an occasional passing interest

 

[Ickorus]

So he helps people who don't want to be gay to get rid of their unwanted feelings?

I can't see a problem here, it's each individuals own personal choice what they do and don't want to be, it's like saying "No! You must be gay and endure the misery it brings you for the rest of your life!".

Really, telling someone they aren't allowed to be straight because it's 'unnatural' to resist your homosexuality. Hmm, that sounds familiar!

Couple of rules I hope he follows though: A) That he tells his clients that there is nothing wrong with being gay and B) He doesn't take clients who might be being forced to attend by parents or other authority figures.

 

[LuckyClover95]

I don't know what to think. I guess it's nice that he wants to help people, even if it encourages the idea that they need to be helped.
I don't think people choose homosexuality exactly, I think that on some scale everyone is bisexual we just have strong tendencies.
And on a forum like this, good look on not being condemned for your belief in God. I believe in God and this forum loves to make me feel bad about it.

 

[Blazing Bird]

except maybe asexuals).

I'd say,
"How can some one be Asexual and still have genitalia, but hilariously enough, a very good friend of mine is Asexual.

Look OP, you done opened up a serious can o' worms here.

Honestly, some constructive criticism, the wording could have been arranged a little more delicately, there are a great number of homosexuals out there who's lives have been made a living nightmare by people who think their lifestyle is wrong.

Many posters have been bringing up the word "Bisexual" and that pretty much deflates your entire argument in one fell swoop. At the same time, if this therapist is an accredited PHD, he should refuse to work on anyone he feels that,

-They Being forced into treatment against their will

-Their psychology is not externally or internally destructive

-Therapy would be further damaging to the individual

-Are resistant to treatment

Psychologist are still doctors, not men in grass skirts shaking voodoo wands that magically make people heterosexual. They can still be sued for malpractice just like any other doctor. If you could get one of his patients to testify against him in court, he'll loose his license. (And probably a significant amount of money)

Really, I don't think your argument holds any water, because you yourself have never had a homosexual experience that you've shown us, so what makes your testimony valid? If you can't comprehend what you're talking about, then your argument is moot.

 

[SamBargeron]

Sexuality is neither the exclusive province of nature nor nurture. Some people are born with homosexual tendencies, while others develop homosexual tendencies during their formative years. People who develop homosexual tendencies as a product of nurture can become aware of this and change.

People who are homosexual as a product of genetics, brain chemistry, or both can not. I suppose someday we could develop a drug to change the brain chemistry related to homosexuality, and perhaps we could even develop gene treatments for people who develop it through genetics. But, that seems like a really really sad thing to do... I would not want to live in a world where we are evil enough to treat homosexuality as a disease. Next thing you know, we'll be curing everyone who doesn't have blonde hair and blue eyes.

For those of you out there who don't believe sexuality is related in any way to genetics or brain chemistry... how many times to scientists need to provide evidence for you? Yeah, we haven't identified the "gay gene" yet. We haven't identified MOST GENES yet. We're pretty sure we've found evidence of its existence and narrowed down its location to a few suspicious chromosomes (each with hundreds of genes in their chains).

A co-worker tried to disprove scientific studies which found that most animals in nature display a homosexual percentage similar to that found in humans. First, she claimed that "just because a dog humps the tree, that doesn't mean the dog is a tree-sexual." Then she explained that the scientists were actually satanists and that their test results could not be trusted, because if the test results were not tampered with it would have proven that god didn't make homosexuals. Finally she resorted to one line I may never forget, "What scientists seem to forget is that god controls everything. He can change the laws of science on a whim." To which I responded, "Yeah. Okay. But I doubt any self respecting god would turn off the gravity just to show up some scientists."

The genetic investigations of homosexuality are really in a tangle because they are simultaneously being funded and protested by various groups. Groups which oppose homosexuality fund the tests in the hopes of proving that homosexuality is a choice, while simultaneously protesting that the tests are part of the "gay agenda". Groups which support homosexuality fund the tests in hopes of proving that homosexuality is not a choice, while simultaneously protesting that scientists are trying to "cure homosexuality". Ugh... people are people are people...