Many studies show that therapy to turn gay people straight doesn't work and can even be harmful meanwhile the Texas GOP considers making it part of the party platform. Also there is a fight to try to remove language in the platform that says "Homosexuality tears at the fabric of society." http://news.msn.com/us/texas-gop-advances-reparative-therapy-for-gays Texas GOP advances 'reparative therapy' for gays FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — The Texas Republican Party would endorse psychological treatment that seeks to turn gay people straight under a new platform partly aimed at rebuking laws in California and New Jersey that ban so-called "reparative therapy" on minors. A push to include the new anti-gay language survived a key vote late Thursday in Fort Worth at the Texas Republican Convention where, across the street, tea party star U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz fired up attendees at a rally to defend marriage as between a man and a woman. Under the new proposed plank, the Texas GOP will "recognize the legitimacy and efficacy of counseling, which offers reparative therapy and treatment for those patients seeking healing and wholeness from their homosexual lifestyle." The full convention of nearly 10,000 delegates from across Texas will take a final vote on the platform Saturday. Gay conservatives in Texas could still emerge with a rare victory on a separate issue: removing decades-old platform language that states, "Homosexuality tears at the fabric of society." Stripping that phrasing survived a sometimes-tense challenge from hardliners who not only wanted to preserve it, but wanted to replace "homosexuality" with "sexual sins." "I really beg my social conservative colleagues to let this issue go," said Rudy Oeftering, a Dallas businessman and vice president of the gay Republican group Metroplex Republicans. "It's your opinion. It's your belief — but it's my life." That issue also faces a full vote Saturday. The Texas Republican Convention has long been unfriendly territory for gays, even conservative ones. For years, the party has refused to let gay GOP organizations rent booths in the convention hall. The therapy language was inserted at the urging of Cathie Adams of Dallas, leader of the influential tea party group Texas Eagle Forum and a onetime chairwoman of the Texas Republican Party. Adams, whose group backed tea party outsiders who dominated Texas Republican primary races this year, said she simply promoted language proposed by a man who she says was helped by such therapy. "He knows what he's talking about. He is one of those who has benefited," Adams said. "I think the majority of Texans feel that way too. It's not like this is mandatory. This is only a voluntary program." In August, New Jersey became the second U.S. state to ban licensed therapists from trying to turn gay teenagers straight. The bill was signed by Republican Gov. Chris Christie, a possible 2016 presidential candidate who opposes same-sex marriage but has said that he believes people are born gay and that homosexuality isn't a sin. Judges on a federal appeals court also upheld a similar ban in California last fall, saying that trying to change a minor's sexual orientation through intense therapy appeared dangerous. The California Legislature has cited reports, experts and anecdotes involving suicides, substance abuse and other behavior by young recipients of the therapy. Cruz ducked a question about his state party's platform on gays, saying he would leave it up to the "grass roots at the convention." Republican delegate Elizabeth Hunter, 20, said she didn't see any reason for removing language that describes being gay as tearing at the fabric of society. "I don't see anybody leaving the Republican Party because of that language," she said. "I think it would actually encourage someone to join when they see that the Republican Party takes a strong stand rather than standing in the middle."
Why do they spend so much time thinking about gay people? I don't understand the obsession. Just let them be.
I had a gay cousin who had a multitude of psychological problems and he definitely needed help. He basically killed himself with alcohol and drugs. I don't know for a fact that this therapy is designed to "turn gay people straight" but helping people to be ok with who they are would be good. There is no way to turn somebody from who they believe they are without reinforcing the belief that what they are is wrong or bad somehow. My cousin constantly struggled with this without extra reinforcement of it no matter how much love his family gave him. Life is hard enough without spending it fighting the belief that who you are is bad. He was an awesome person but that is not what he saw in the mirror.
Thats exactly what its supposed to do. This practice should be legal ONLY for consenting adults over 18. Forcing kids in this is terrible, terrible, terrible. Thankfully the conservative party WILL change its stance on this issue before too long - almost 40% of conservatives support gay rights now. 61% of conservatives under the age of 30 support gay rights.
I'll never forget the day I sat down with my parents and told them that I had decided to be straight -- they were so proud!
Doesn't this sound like... "I acknowledge that you have the right to be gay, but you have to know that your lifestyle is wrong and mine is right so I offer you a chance to correct it by signing up for this program".
There is plenty of sources of "I know your lifestyle is wrong..." The momentum is already there and knowledge of this issue is quite wide spread. I don't think this is going to do anything to halt the momentum. In fact, might just do the opposite and again paint the GOP as intolerance and anti-data (assuming that data and research on such therapy is right).
no, its more like some people who may feel their lifestyle is wrong can try to change it themselves with help if THEY WANT IT. I don't agree with the "therapy", but if someone chooses it themselves, I wouldn't stop them.
I am a straight man. What if I feel like that is wrong for me or I am having homosexual thoughts? Is there a planned government theraphy program that will help convert me to become homosexual IF I WANT IT? The only ones who promote or inject the idea that being gay is somehow wrong or they are only ones who are suppose to feel that they are in the wrong are homophobes.
Maybe someone should pass a bill requiring neuroscience, modern psychology and human rights to be taught in public schools instead.
But they're not planning a "government" run or government funded program. I wouldn't want that at all. As a matter of fact, I do NOT support the Texas GOP on any of this. However, if you want a therapeutic program to help you convert to Homosexuality, then go for it. Thats your choice & I have no reason to stop you.
there's no point in defending marriage as an act between a man and a woman now, because, wait for it.... gay marriage now happens.
Here's the quote again: "Under the new proposed plank, the Texas GOP will 'recognize the legitimacy and efficacy of counseling, which offers reparative therapy and treatment for those patients seeking healing and wholeness from their homosexual lifestyle.'" Does this have any real-life policy implications? The party says such-and-such treatment is legitimate and effective, and then... what? Is the danger that the GOP-run state might pay for reparative services, require them, or what? Or is it that we want the state to make reparative therapy illegal or strip it of funding? Trying to understand what I'm supposed to be worried about.
I think it's pointing out that the GOP is in favor of a treatment that has not only been thoroughly debunked, but has also been proven to be very damaging to the "patients." This is like the GOP coming out and saying that they are in favor of bloodletting as a medical treatment. In other words, this just shows how out of touch this state's GOP is.
Then why do we need to have any program at all to help people convert with their sexual preference? If we don't vilify a particular sexual orientation, we wouldn't be talking about this at all. No need for therapy for ANYBODY.
