Turning Gay Men Straight Through Contact Sports

Turkish oil wrestling...seriously

From 429 Magazine: 

A Catholic institution hopes to convert gay men to heterosexuality through contact sports.  

Organized by Father Paul Check, the 4-day sports camp aims to show gay men the straight and narrow path, and will take place in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania from May 23 till May 26. 

“Usually held in the Spring, Sports Camp is an exhilarating, experiential weekend for men desiring to learn how to play team sports with encouragement, coaching, and an abundance of Christian fellowship,” reads the site.  

Through contact sports, men will enrich their souls “through a daily regimen of prayer, confessions, mass, and the Liturgy of the Hours...”

For the record, I am sure Turkish Oil Wrestling is not actually one of the sports they will be doing...then again, I could be wrong. But I digress...

Honestly I have never understood this. You have a bunch of men who are attracted to other men and they are trying to change that. So, you get these men who are attracted to other men and you put them with other men who are attracted to men. Somehow, with all of these men who are attracted to other men all together, they are supposed to become attracted to women? WHAT!?!?!?

Reparative Therapy Ban Introduced in New York

From Gay RVA: 

Two New York City state lawmakers on Friday introduced a bill that seeks to ban the controversial practice of gay-to-straight “conversion” therapy, also known as reparative therapy. 

The measure, introduced by state Sen. Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan) and Rep. Deborah Glick (D-Manhattan), would bar mental health providers from trying to change the sexual orientation of anyone under the age of 18, and is modeled after a similar measure in California. 

Hoylman, the state senate’s only openly gay lawmaker, said the controversial treatment is not good for the individual or society. 

“It not only is impossible, but it is detrimental to young people to attempt to convert them,” he said. “It also increases the stigma in society and creates a culture of unacceptance for young gay and lesbian people.”

New Jersey to Move On Reparative Therapy

From The Advocate:

Senate President Steve Sweeney, a sponsor of the measure, said the idea for the ban arose when he heard testimony about the therapy during the debate on the marriage equality bill and “almost fell off my seat.” He said the practice reminded him of “something out of the 1950s,” where he drew a comparison to “bomb shelters and shock therapy” in a telephone interview with The Advocate on Friday.

“It’s something that I can’t believe still exists,” he said. “We’re not going to let it exist in New Jersey.”

~

Conversion therapy, also known as “reparative” therapy, has been denounced by professional groups including the American Psychological Association, which warn it can increase the likelihood of depression and suicide. The proposed legislation in New Jersey would prohibit psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and other counseling professionals from using the practice on patients under 18 years old.

Dr. Oz on Reparative Therapy

From his blog:

"...I felt that we needed to include all parties who have considered reparative therapy to hear the stories of people who have tried these treatments.  Although some viewers may disagree with this tactic, if we want to reach everyone who might benefit from understanding the risks of this therapy, you have to present multiple perspectives.  Based on the need to pass the September 30 California law banning the practice in minors and continued media attention on groups advocating both sides of the reparative therapy decision, the debate continues and the venue is often basements and backrooms.

Some guests argued that they have been changed thru these treatments, but I was overwhelmed by the pain of individuals hurt by the experience.  After listening to both sides of the issue and after reviewing the available medical data, I agree with the established medical consensus.  I have not found enough published data supporting positive results with gay reparative therapy and I have concerns about the potentially dangerous effects when the therapy fails, especially when minors are forced into treatments..."

h/t Joe.My.God

PA. Lawmaker Introduces "Reparative Therapy" Ban

From San Diego Gay and Lesbian News:

Pennsylvania State Rep. Babette Josephs (D-Philadelphia) has introduced a bill that would ban mental health providers from offering "gay-to-straight" reparative therapy for minors.

~

Reparative therapy generally purports to change a person's sexual orientation by using such techniques as aversion or psychoanalytic treatments or spiritual interventions.

"No reputable mainstream mental health association considers being gay, lesbian or bisexual a disease or mental illness. Yet, that is exactly the premise behind this kind of therapy – a wrong assumption that homosexuality is a mental disorder that can be 'corrected,'" Josephs said, in a statement.

"As homosexuality is not a disorder, so attempts to 'convert' the sexual orientation of anyone, particularly a minor, threatens the individual's short- and long-term health and well-being," she said.

Josephs noted that the potential negative effects of such treatments include depression, substance abuse, self-loathing and suicide...

Will New Jersey Ban "Reparative Therapy?"

From Philly.com:

New Jersey could become the second state in the nation to limit practitioners of "conversion" counseling, a controversial form of psychological therapy that aims to persuade gay people to adopt a heterosexual identity.

Assemblyman Timothy J. Eustace (D., Bergen), an openly gay father of two, plans to introduce a bill next week that would outlaw use of the technique on those under 18 years old.

"I see it as a form of child abuse," he said. Being gay "is not an illness, so what are they fixing?"

"Conversion" or "reparative" therapy has been discredited by all major mental health organizations, according to the American Psychological Association. Since parents may force their children to undergo the therapy, the state should protect them, Eustace said.

The bills will face stiff resistance from the New Jersey Family Policy Council, a group that opposes gay marriage. Government should not interfere with parental decisions, said the group's founder and president, Len Deo.

CNN Correspondent vs. Reparative Therapist

"Reparative Therapy" Officially Banned in CA (for minors)

From Queerty:

On Saturday, Gov. Jerry Brown of California signed Senate Bill 1172, which officially bans so-called “ex-gay” therapy for minors.

~

Reparative therapy—an umbrella term for various methods that often incorporate prayer or designate a childhood incident as a “root” for homosexuality—have been soundly condemned by the World Health Organization, the American Psychological Association and almost every other professional therapeutic group in America. (Adults can still seek such treatment, but do so with informed consent, not as the helpless victims of their parents or guardians)

“Governor Brown has reaffirmed what medical and mental health organizations have made clear: Efforts to change minors’ sexual orientation are not therapy, they are the relics of prejudice and abuse that have inflicted untold harm on young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Californians,” said Clarissa Filgioun, Equality California board president.

The Wrap-Up: June 28, 2012

Former first lady Laura Bush and former vice-president Dick Cheney are being called out, but not by the left.

Congressional Republicans are coming up with lots of "reasons" to impeach President Obama.

Bryan Fischer, leader of the conservative, Christian group American Family Association thinks that we should let poor sick people die. I think he needs to reconsider his religion, since he has zero understanding of the Bible.

The U.S. may cut aid to Uganda because of the African nation's crackdown on the gay community.

The president of Exodus International takes about a half step towards being more progressive, admitting that homosexuality can NOT be cured (although the rest of us knew this ages ago). Half a step is better than nothing.

Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA) along with about 36 other representatives will today be launching a congressional Anti-Bullying Caucus. It's that this is necessary, but good that kids will (hopefully) be protected.

Selena Gomez and Justin Beiber were on the House of Representatives? Wait for the explanation...

A committee in the California state assembly has approved a bill banning "reparative therapy."

And lastly, Republicans with delusions of grandeur. It must have been hard to narrow this down to just five, but these five are pretty big ones (especially the final one on this list).

NOTE: The Supreme Court will handing down their ruling on the Affordable Care Act (I believe) at or before 2 PM Eastern.

The Wrap-Up: April 13, 2012

The federal Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act is getting its first test.

Marcus Bachmann didn't learn his lesson the first time around.

There is a growing amount of evidence that Paul Ryan's budget pays for tax cuts for the rich on the backs of the poor. As I have said many times before, if compassionate conservatism ever existed, it is dead.

The government of Nigeria is being sued over an anti-gay bill currently in the legislature.

Arizona has its first LGBT high school. It's a shame that such a thing is necessary, but at least it's there for whoever needs it.

We know that there are a lot of pro-gay people of faith (as I have mentioned a number of times on this blog), so why don't we hear more from them in the media instead of just hearing from their very anti-gay counterparts?

As impossible as it may seem, there are at least some Catholic priests who opt not to go the homophobic route. It's just too bad that they are so rare.

Russian citizens are standing against the newly passed bill in St. Petersburg.

And lastly, your job may be killing you.

The Religious Wrong: Bad Advice About A Gay Son

These being statements by Pat Robertson pretty much means that they are full of factual inaccuracies.

#1 It has been shown that reparative "therapy," which he is tacitly advocating (gotta read between the lines folks), has an adverse on people's mental/emotional well-being. On the other hand, I'm reminded of a story where two men met at one of these reparative "therapy" places and ended up getting married, so maybe they aren't 100% bad (just 99.99999% bad).

#2 There are no reputable studies that show that reparative "therapy" actually works. Quite the contrary actually.

#3 While science has not come to a conclusion as to what causes/influences sexual orientation, the science that we have thus far points demonstrably towards biological factors (primarily during pregnancy). In others words, it isn't a choice. It isn't acquired and thus cannot be "unacquired." What exactly is he basing his (false) opinion that homosexuality is acquired on? One word: IGNORANCE.

I have said it before and I'll say it again: why do people listen to RWNJ's like Robertson? I guess that's a mystery God is keeping to himself.

The Wrap-Up: November 2, 2011

Herman Cain really is the gift that keeps on giving.

Speaking of Mister Cain, it seems as if this whole ordeal is starting to get to him.

All of the suicides that have resulted from anti-gay bullying are undoubtedly tragic. What good there is is that people in positions of visibility and power have come out as a result. The latest is this California assemblywoman.

There have been many reparative therapy techniques (all unsuccessful) over the years from the stupid to the damaging.

Not all people of faith are homophobes, and some of them choose to speak out FOR gay people.

Those "Stop SB 48" (California's Fair Education bill) folks are back.

I really like Elephants (maybe it's from watching Babar as a kid), so this makes me sad to hear.

Some woman is claiming Justin Bieber is the father of her child. If this ends up being true (doubtful), she needs better taste in men. For every Ryan Reynolds Canada gives us, they give us at least one Bieber.

Remember that lesbian couple that won Homecoming? We should have seen THIS coming down the pike.

Burke Burnett (before)

A third arrest has been made in the Texas beating of Burke Burnett.

The American Bar Association has officially endorsed the repeal of DoMA, meaning I have to hate lawyers a little less (but only a little).

And lastly, I wanted to remind everyone that Election day is coming up this Tuesday (November 8) so make sure you get out to the polls. If you don't vote, you can't complain. For those here in Virginia, check this out.