Homosexual Therapy Bans: Denying People Help

   WASHINGTON, D.C.—Just four states and the District of Columbia have banned “conversion therapy” or other Sexual Orientation Change Effort (SOCE) therapies. Yet, the national conversation is turning to stripping sexual minority youth of their rights to therapy—even voluntary therapy—for unwanted same-sex attractions and gender identity confusion.

In 90 percent of the country, minors still experience therapy equality, an issue close to the heart of Christopher Doyle, a licensed professional counselor and a leader in the #TherapyEquality campaign of Equality And Justice For All (www.equalityandjusticeforall.org).

Almost daily, however, a new call is made to ban these types of therapies in a different state or city, largely due to gay activists, who are distorting the truth and misleading lawmakers throughout the country. The latest is Cincinnati, where gay council member Chris Seelbach introduced a bill in the Law and Public Safety Committee of the Cincinnati City Council to ban SOCE therapy in the city, even though the Ohio legislature has voted down SOCE bans multiple times over the last several years.

Doyle, a former homosexual who says that therapy changed his life, is now married to his wife and they have five children. He has long advocated for therapy freedom and therapy equality, especially as activists fight harder to ban therapies for minors that help them deal with unwanted same-sex attractions and gender identity confusion.

“The truth is that most don’t want to hear stories of change like mine,” Doyle said. “They would rather hear stories of what appears to be acceptance and tolerance. Yet, few will accept or tolerate the notion that some people feel that same-sex attractions go against their faith or their morals and want to get help to work through these issues. But in a few states—and efforts are being made to add more to that list—those types of therapies aren’t even an option for minors, and that is wrong.

“Activists who want to further their radical agendas and ban therapy not only limit the rights of minors and their families, but simply ignore problems by placing a bandage on them rather than addressing the issues and matters of the heart head-on.

“As a counselor, I am not working to ‘convert’ anyone,” Doyle continued. “Those I work with believe there are specific causes for their unwanted same-sex attractions and gender identity confusion. And I work to help them resolve those issues, affirm their sexual identity and achieve their goals. Everyone has the right to resolve unwanted desires, attractions and unmet emotional needs. And if someone wishes to pursue therapy to resolve unwanted attractions, who are we to stop them and deny their right of self-determination?”

Despite the successful efforts of gay activists to pass laws in four states and the District of Columbia, in 2015, at least 15 states rejected or refused to pass laws to take away the therapy rights of children and their families, and Doyle believes that’s a step in the right direction.

“Only in the most liberal states are these radical laws being passed, because when legislators hear from those like myself who have resolved their unwanted same-sex attractions and the help we are offering to others like us—those who voluntarily choose therapy—they understand that no one is being ‘converted’ and that our work is really affirming and life-saving. Listening to our stories makes them think again, as it’s a perspective they rarely hear because of all the indoctrination and lies that activists are spinning. It’s a game changer!”

Doyle and his colleague, Dr. James Phelan, are working on the first study of youth who have undergone SOCE. Last month, they presented information about the new research at the 2015 Alliance for Therapeutic Choice and Scientific Integrity Conference and NARTH Training Institute. The research aims to discover the perceptions of adolescents undergoing, or those who have undergone, SOCE, as well as understand some of the possible influences (e.g. wellbeing; harm) it may or may not have.

For more information on Equality And Justice For All, visit www.EqualityAndJusticeForAll.org.

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