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UK gays being helped to turn straight
Therapists are still trying to help gays become straight, new research suggests.
The report, published in the journal BMC Psychiatry, found that 17% of the 1,400 UK psychiatrists interviewed had already agreed to help a gay or lesbian patient to reduce or change their homosexual feelings when asked to do so.
Four per cent of those surveyed said that they would attempt actually to change a client’s sexual orientation.
Professor Michael King, of University College, London, said: “There is very little evidence to show that attempting to change a person’s homosexual feelings is effective, and, in fact, can actually be harmful.
“The best approach is to help people adjust to their situation… Both mental health practitioners and society at large must help them to confront prejudice in themselves and in others.”
The report concludes: “A significant minority of mental health professionals are attempting to help lesbian, gay and bisexual clients become heterosexual. Given lack of evidence for the efficacy of such treatments, this is likely to be unwise or even harmful.”
Derek Munn of gay rights organisation Stonewall said: “So-called gay cure therapies are wholly discredited. The conclusions of this research are a welcome reminder that what lesbian and gay people need is equal treatment by society, not misguided treatment by a minority of health professionals.”
A new website has been set up to enable people who have either received or administered this treatment to express their views. Visit www.treatmentshomosexuality.org.uk
Read the report in full here
