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Essays on conversion therapy
Essays on conversion therapy
Essays on conversion therapy
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Conversion Therapy
Conversion Therapy, also known as Reparative Therapy, is defined as a multitude of dangerous practices that claim to change a person’s sexuality or gender (hrc.org). The goal of Conversion Therapy is to try and make the patients behave stereotypically more feminine or masculine, teach heterosexual dating skills, and redirect arousal all together (dailybeast.com). However, the consequences of Conversion Therapy can lead to depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness, suicide, or catching and transmitting Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) (hrc.org). Some of the techniques used are vomiting, inducing nausea, or paralysis while showing homoerotic images (huffingtonpost.com).
WHO SUPPORTS IT AND WHO REJECTS IT
A high majority
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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.
Who supports it. As progressive as this country is, the Grand Old Party (GOP) took a giant leap back when they adopted Conversion Therapy into its national platform. The GOP is not only promoting Conversion Therapy, but using nuanced language to cover their bigotry. What is the most sinister is that they have targeted their bigotry at the most vulnerable of our population, our children, who do not have a voice or a
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According to The Bible, homosexuality is a sin in Romans 1:26-27 and Corinthians 6:9. In Romans 1: 26-27, The Bible clearly states homosexuality as being a sin by saying, “Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty of their error.” (New International Version). Corinthians 6:9 also states homosexuality as being wrong by stating, “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men.” (New International Version). Even though homosexuality is “classified” as a sin, there is no specific methodology to overcoming any sin, and with no specific methodology from The Bible, Conversion Therapy can not be solely biblically based
There are many issues that interfere with the health and happiness of those within the Gay and Lesbian community. The National Association Position Statement on Gays and Lesbians is as attempt to abolish such issues within the social work practice. One place that individuals of any sexual orientation practice should feel safe is with those who have chosen the field of social work as a means to helping the oppressed. Social workers must be aware of their own personal beliefs and values when it comes to the fear of and the misrepresentation of working with this divers group. The consequences of not dealing with such issues and may have a latent manifest in dealing with the Gay and Lesbian population, and if not addressed prior to working in this field, maybe devastating to a client.
Even though these practices have hurt, or even killed some of their “patients,” there are still some survivors, and journalists that have proven that conversion therapy does not work.
During the Holocaust many people were targeted including homosexual men. The estimated amount of homosexuals involved in the holocaust ranges from 5,000 to 15,000. They faced persecution not only from German soldiers but also from other prisoners living in the concentration camps. Between 1933 and 1945, an estimated 100,000 men were arrested as homosexuals, and of those 100,000 men, 50,000 were officially sentenced.
The Greek words used to describe homosexual people and behaviors are mistranslated. The main words used to label someone as gay in Paul’s Letters to the Apostles, especially in Corinthians and Romans, are the Greek words: arsenokoitēs and malakos (Boswell, 338). Arsenokoitēs actually means homosexual, however malakos translates to ‘effeminate.’ Both words are used in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.” Though Corinthians seems to explicitly say that members of the LGBT community will not be accepted into heaven, it is shown through the works of ancient writers thatt the w...
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).
Everyone at some point in their lives lies even when they know that they should be telling the truth. Deception is a key element in William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet are both deceptive to their parents when they do not tell them about their marriage. They then continue to lie, Juliet telling her parents she would marry Paris when she secretly arranged to fake her death and Romeo deceiving Friar Laurence by going back to Verona. All of the deceiving in the play leads to conflicts, which eventually ends in death of both Romeo and Juliet. By showing how Romeo and Juliet being deceptive to their parents and role models led to pain and conflict, Shakespeare shows that you should always be honest if you want to maintain
...were mentally ill or psychotic. Frank Kameny, a leader of the gay rights movement, perpetuated the idea that “Homosexuality is not a sickness…but is merely a preference, an orientation, or propensity, on par with, and not different in kind from, heterosexuality.” (Sherry Wolf, Sexuality and Socialism) Some schools even went as far as to create public safe spaces for gay students such as Columbia University’s Student Homophile League. Now, people are well aware of the presence of the LGBTQ community, and members are even trying to educate people who seem ignorant or bigoted. Many people currently dedicate a good portion of their lives to learning and teaching people about the gay rights movement and how it functions today. The community has evolved to include transgender, asexual, pansexual, and non binary people as well as a multitude of other labels and identities.
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...
Hayes, S. C. & Strosahl, K. D. (2005) (Eds.), A practical guide to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. New York: Springer-Verlag.
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
"[I]t seems appropriate to understand sexual orientation (heterosexual or homosexual) as a deep-seated dimension of one's personality and to recognize its relative stability in a person. Generally, homosexual orientation is experienced as a given, not as something freely chosen. By itself, therefore, a homosexual orientation cannot be considered sinful, for morality presumes the freedom to choose. The teachings of the Church make it clear that the fundamental human rights of homosexual persons must be defended and that all of us must strive to eliminate any forms of injustice, oppression, or violence against them"(Pastoral).
Reality therapy is a practical therapeutic method developed by Dr. William Glasser, which focuses on here and now rather the past, problem-solving rather than the issue at hand, and making better choices with specific goals established. Reality therapy is a time-limited, no-nonsense approach that Glasser developed and taught as a method of counseling which is based on choice theory, which states: “all we do is behave, almost all behavior is chosen, and we are driven by five basic needs” (William Glasser Institute, 2010).
We have no right to judge. We should leave that to the Lord, and he will make the right decision. He will decide what the sinner does and doesn't deserve. Christians know what to abide by. They may know that being a homosexual is going against Gods word, but they also know that the Lord says that one should love all no matter what circumstances.
This can lead to conversion therapy, which is supposed to normalize someone that is believed to have the wrong sexual orientation or gender identity. Conversion therapy tactics use to include castration and shock therapy. Even though these tactics have died down, physical methods are still used. (nclrights cite) Convention therapy feed the idea that non-conformity to your gender is not a normal trait and that it should be a condition or disorder, which it was. The American Psychiatric Association (APA), previously defined not conforming to your gender as gender identity disorder. Only 15 years after opposed harsh therapy, APA changed the condition of gender identity disorder to gender dysphoria. (Obama cite) This change in perspective helps transgender people receive treatment to ease their anxiety, whether then causing it as conversion therapy