From NARTH (National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality)
James Phelan, Ph.D., has recently completed a summary of a 300-page document that will be published in June 2008. This summary is in pdf format and can be downloaded HERE. For details of how to obtain the final document when it is published, see NARTH‘s website.
Introduction (part)
In 1973, the American Psychological Association succumbed to years of pressure from gay and lesbian activists and removed homosexuality from its diagnostic list of mental disorders. Over the years, and despite substantial protest, the APA continues to bow to pressure from an active Committee on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) concerns, in order to take policy positions supporting a political agenda rather than respond to legitimate scientific
research.
For example, during the 2004 Annual Convention in Honolulu, APA’s Council of Representatives adopted a resolution supporting gay marriage by stating it is “unfair and discriminatory to deny same-sex couples legal access to civil marriage and its attendant benefits, rights and privileges.” The resolution was based upon the recommendation of the APA Working Group on Same-Sex Families and Relationships, chiefly composed of gay and lesbian activists and individuals appointed to the task force because of their known support of the GLBT political agenda.
In 1997, the APA adopted its current policy that opposes any counseling treating homosexuality as a mental illness, but did not explicitly denounce reparative type therapies. In April of this year, once again responding to the demands of vocal homosexual members, the APA authorized the creation of a task force on Appropriate Responses to Sexual Orientation, revising and updating the 1997 policy. Not surprisingly, the APA ignored the nomination of many qualified candidates who had actual clinical background in the change therapy process and appointed a committee chiefly composed of known pro-gay therapists and academics who have made their opposition to gender-affirming therapies well know over the years.
The opposition to change therapies seems to revolve around three general objections that the Scientific Advisory Committee, working under the direction of James E. Phelan, Psy.D, will address in this NARTH fact sheet.
Read summary HERE (pdf)
