My So-Called Ex-Gay Life

wonderfulname

I'm surprised this article hasn't been posted here yet, it's an excellent look into reparative therapy, and most interestingly (to me anyway) contains Robert Spitzer's retraction of his ex-gay affirming study;

Spitzer’s study is still cited by ex-gay organizations as evidence that ex-gay therapy works. The study infuriated gay-rights supporters and many psychiatrists, who condemned its methodology and design. Participants had been referred to Spitzer by ex-gay groups like NARTH and Exodus, which had an interest in recommending clients who would validate their work. The claims of change were self-reports, and Spitzer had not compared them with a control group that would help him judge their credibility.
This spring, I visited Spitzer at his home in Princeton. He ambled toward the door in a walker. Frail but sharp-witted, Spitzer suffers from Parkinson’s disease. “It’s a bummer,” he said. I told Spitzer that Nicolosi had asked me to participate in the 2001 study and recount my success in therapy, but that I never called him. “I actually had great difficulty finding participants,” Spitzer said. “In all the years of doing ex-gay therapy, you’d think Nicolosi would have been able to provide more success stories. He only sent me nine patients.”
I asked about the criticisms leveled at him. “In retrospect, I have to admit I think the critiques are largely correct,” he said. “The findings can be considered evidence for what those who have undergone ex-gay therapy say about it, but nothing more.” He said he spoke with the editor of the Archives of Sexual Behavior about writing a retraction, but the editor declined. (Repeated attempts to contact the journal went unanswered.)Spitzer said that he was proud of having been instrumental in removing homosexuality from the list of mental disorders. Now 80 and retired, he was afraid that the 2001 study would tarnish his legacy and perhaps hurt others. He said that failed attempts to rid oneself of homosexual attractions “can be quite harmful.” He has, though, no doubts about the 1973 fight over the classification of homosexuality.
Spitzer was growing tired and asked how many more questions I had. Nothing, I responded, unless you have something to add.
He did. Would I print a retraction of his 2001 study, “so I don’t have to worry about it anymore”?

The rest of the article is a good read too but that extract sees the end of the only seemingly verifiable evidence in conversion therapy's favour. I hope this signals the end is nigh for these therapies and the organisations that provide them.

BrazIrish

Excellent, thanks for posting!:)

L.Jenkins

wonderfulname wrote: »

The rest of the article is a good read too but that extract sees the end of the only seemingly verifiable evidence in conversion therapy's favour. I hope this signals the end is nigh for these therapies and the organisations that provide them.

I can't see many organisations dismissing the findings, even if they have been shown to be harmful to anyone person unfortunate to be subjected to these kind of therapies.