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The history of homosexuality and its negative impact on society
Essay on homosexuality throughout history
Essay on homosexuality throughout history
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“Homosexuality is found in over 1,500 species. Homophobia is found in only one” ("1,500 Animal” 1). Conversion therapy, or otherwise known as “reparative therapy,” is a homophobic process by which many therapists attempt to “cure” homosexuality. Conversion Therapy demonstrates the ignorance of this world by causing mental and physical harm to its participants in an attempt to “cure” something that is not a problem, and that is why the federal government needs to ban it once and for all.
Homosexuality was once considered a mental illness which lead to attempts to “cure” it. One of the main theories of homosexuality is that it stems from deviant behavior experienced in childhood. Some men develop homosexual attractions due to a bad relationship with a distant father or in response to childhood molestation (Shapio 5). While some homosexual attractions have been caused by these issues, most homosexuals have not been exposed to molestation or family issues. One of the methods to cure homosexuality is conversion therapy. Conversion therapy consists of a variety of methods, both physical and psychological. Some of these methods include praying away the gay, electroconvulsive therapy, hypnosis, and drugs (“11 Ridiculous” 1). There are many camps which are designed for conversion therapy but many of their practices remain secret. There is little information to be found online regarding these camps because they realize that they are behaving inappropriately so they hide their acts. In the 1980s, homosexuality was determined to have a biological cause; this created two sides – supporters of conversion therapy and its detractors (Friedman 1).
Though many consider homosexuality a mental illness, different studies have proven that it is a bi...
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...l. "Gay Conversion Therapy: A Dark Chapter in Mental Health Care." Psychology Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2014.
Hudson, David L., Jr. "1st Amendment at issue in ban on gay-conversion therapy for minors." ABA Journal. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2014.
Lee, Traci G. "Although discredited, gay conversion therapy remains an option for minors." MSNBC. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2014.
Pappas, Stephanie. "5 Things You Should Know About Gay Conversion Therapy." Live Science. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2014.
"Personal experiences with sexual conversion therapy?" The Straight Dope. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2014.
Schmidt, Markus. "Bill cracks down on 'conversion therapy' for gay minors." Times Dispatch. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2014.
Shapiro, Lila. "Straight Talk: How Mathew Shurka And His Conversion Therapist Renounced The 'Gay Cure.'" Huffington Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2014.
In the past decades, the struggle for gay rights in the Unites States has taken many forms. Previously, homosexuality was viewed as immoral. Many people also viewed it as pathologic because the American Psychiatric Association classified it as a psychiatric disorder. As a result, many people remained in ‘the closet’ because they were afraid of losing their jobs or being discriminated against in the society. According to David Allyn, though most gays could pass in the heterosexual world, they tended to live in fear and lies because they could not look towards their families for support. At the same time, openly gay establishments were often shut down to keep openly gay people under close scrutiny (Allyn 146). But since the 1960s, people have dedicated themselves in fighting for
Tori, DeAngelis. "New data on Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Mental Health." www.apa.org/monitor/feb02/newdata.aspx . N.p., 12 february 2002. Web. 9 Apr 2014.
Jenny, C., Roesler, T. A., & Poyer, K. L. (1994). Are children at risk for sexual abuse by homosexuals? Pediatrics, 94(1), 41-44.
Treatments such as conversion therapy have been thoroughly debated by doctors, everyday civilians and even politicians. The question surrounding the topic asks whether or not the treatment is ethically and morally acceptable. Conversion therapy is an option of treatment catering to the LGBTQ community that claims to be able to change a person’s sexual behaviors such as orientation, preference and identity. The main controversies on the topic argue the physical and psychological side effects, treatment options and whether or not different sexual behaviors are mental illnesses that requires treatment.
Making a stands that being a homosexual is natural and homosexuality isn’t a mental disorder. Conversion or reparative therapy only suppress their sexual conduct, not their sexual desires. Those type of therapy infuses shame and guilt in a person which can cause the person the shutdown. Secondly, conversion therapy can make a person feel like they have no way out. The highly disapproved therapy can push a person to make a bad rational decision possibly committing suicide. LGBT people are three to seven times more likely to commit suicide. Thirdly, they promote sexual orientation is a choice but your sexual orientation is not a choice. Conversion and Reparative therapy are supported by James Dobson which created a Christian organization called “ Focus On The
Perrin, Ellen C., and Benjamin S. Siegel. "Promoting the Well-Being of Children Whose Parents Are Gay or Lesbian." Pediatrics 131.4 (2013): 1374-383. PDF file.
Based on an article by the National Alert Registry by Dr. Herbert Wagemaker, four percent of the population suffers from sexual orientation toward children. In 1999, 93,000 kids were sexually abused. 50% of the abusers were parents of th...
Many members of the LGBT community sent to Conversion Camps are mainly minors, who are later diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or depression. Psychiatrist Dr. L. Spitzer, who once supported a study on Conversion Therapy, has since denounced the practice and apologized (hrc.org). While many people who are not from the LGBT Community accept its members, there is still a high majority of people who reject and discriminate against the LGBT Community.
Mercer, L. R. & Berger, R. M. (1989). Social service needs of lesbian and gay adolescents. Adolescent Sexuality: New Challenges for Social Workers. Haworth Press.
It is very reasonable to conclude that research on depression of those who identify as gay, lesbian or transsexual is not accurate; there is an underreporting of people who identify as these sexual orientations because of the fear of being different. It is understood that those apart of the LGBTQ community actively hide their identity in hopes to avoid being rejected or abused (Bird, 2013). Once the reporting issue of having a smaller percentage of the actual representation of the LGBTQ population is put aside, there is evidence that highly suggests that lesbians and gay men are at higher risk for psychiatric disorders than heterosexuals (Cochran, 2001). Even after underreporting, there is still enough information to conclude that sexual discrimination can have harmful effects on the quality of life. Common factors that have been observed in lesbians and gays that can potentially increase depression during Cochran's study are anxiety and mood disorders and decreased self esteem. Cochran and her partner also noted that dissatisfaction with how one is treated beca...
The mental health of individuals in the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered) community is something that is a serious problem. For most of the history of the United States and many different parts of the world LGBT people faced much persecution and in some cases even death. This constant fear of discovery and the pressure that one feels on oneself when “in the closet” can lead to major mental distress. Research has shown that people who identify as LGBT are twice as likely to develop lifetime mood and anxiety disorders (Bostwick 468). This is extremely noticeable the past couple years in the suicides of bullied teens on the basis of sexual identity and expression. The stigma on simply being perceived as LGBT is strong enough to cause a person enough mental stress that they would take their own life. This is always unfortunate, but in the case of young individuals it borders on unthinkable. Older LGBT individuals do not tend to fair much better either seeing as they were raised in generations who were stricter on what was considered proper and morally right. All this being said, even as the culture of the world shifts to more accepting LGBT individuals their mental health is something that is only now being looked at thoroughly.
According to the Human Rights Campaign, Conversion therapy is a practice that claims to be able to "turn gay people straight" through therapy. Conversion therapy leads to a variety of negative side effects. According to the Human Rights Campaign, "minors are especially vulnerable, and conversion therapy can lead to depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness, and suicide." Conversion therapy is a horrific practice that should be banned in all fifty states. Conversion therapy is a horrible practice that should be
Weinberg, George. "The End Goal of the LGBT Movement." Huffington Post. Huffington Post, 9 July 2013. Web. 23 Sept. 2013.
The sexual orientation of a person has been a critical debate over the past several centuries. For several...
When one hears the words “LGBT” and “Homosexuality” it often conjures up a mental picture of people fighting for their rights, which were unjustly taken away or even the social emergence of gay culture in the world in the1980s and the discovery of AIDS. However, many people do not know that the history of LGBT people stretches as far back in humanity’s history, and continues in this day and age. Nevertheless, the LGBT community today faces much discrimination and adversity. Many think the problem lies within society itself, and often enough that may be the case. Society holds preconceptions and prejudice of the LGBT community, though not always due to actual hatred of the LGBT community, but rather through lack of knowledge and poor media portrayal.