Tuesday, November 13, 2012

British Government Condemns Reparative Therapy and "Ex-Gay" Therapy

Expect lots of whining and caterwauling from the Christofascists and "ex-gays for pay" who have been striving to export their snake oil  to the United Kingdom.  The British Department of Health has condemned reparative therapy and gone on to state that there is no evidence of any benefit to those who undergo such treatment.  In short, the Department of Health sees reparative therapy and "ex-gay ministries" for what they are: frauds motivated by religious extremism and/or political machinations aimed at depriving LGBT individuals of their equal civil rights.  Here are highlights from Pink News:

Lib Dem Health Minister Norman Lamb said: “The Department of Health does not condone the concept of therapists offering ‘cures’ for homosexuality. There is no evidence that this sort of treatment is beneficial and indeed it may well cause significant harm, to some patients.

“It is incumbent on professionals working in the National Health Service to ensure that treatment and care, including therapy, is provided to every patient without any form of discrimination”.

Mr Lamb continued: “If someone is suffering a mental health problem, clinicians will try to help patients with whatever is causing them distress. This could involve helping someone come to terms with their sexuality, family arguments over their sexuality, or hostility from other people.

“We know from research that the incidence of depression, anxiety and suicide within the gay community is significantly higher than within the heterosexual community and this is why ‘No health without mental health’ identifies lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people as a specific group for whom a tailored approach to their mental health is necessary.”

Last month, Lesley Pilkington, the Christian psychotherapist who was found to be providing gay conversion therapy, was finally struck off by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).  She was initially found guilty of malpractice by the BACP in July 2011, following an undercover investigation by the journalist Patrick Strudwick, but had subsequently appealed the decision.

Would that the U.S. government would formally condemn fraudulent "ex-gay" programs and reparative therapy. 

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