Texas' Hateful Stance

[deltex1]

How unfortunate that at a time when over one-third of the states in the United States are allowing for same-sex marriage and are condemning hate against GLBT people, Texas has to come out with this crud. Gay conversion therapy has been shot down by many medical professionals as not working and causing great harm to many. Yet Texas, the backward state, has to introduce this as the *main* part of the Republican's agenda for Texas. The following article explains it quite well and exemplifies the need for Republicans to gather more love and compassion for people who may be different from them and to stop feeling they are far superior to them. But people are taking note of this everywhere. And in the end, it can only be remembered as a black mark against Texas and a black eye for the nation as a whole.

Why is Texas GOP backing gay conversion therapy?
Opinion: Why is Texas GOP backing gay conversion therapy? - CNN.com

Why describe it as hateful...why not compassionate? It is compassion from their point of view. Maybe you are the hater?

 

[sameech]

It has been proven not to work. That's the part you appear to be missing. Here are statements from actual medical professionals about this "treatment" that has been proven not to work....

Thanks for the links, but perhaps you missed the point. Some people say it has worked for them, so perhaps "it" needs to be changed, modified, built upon. There are lots of previously untreatable illnesses that are treatable today. Perhaps it depends on the nature of their dysfunction. Gender identity disorder is still considered a disorder, so if being a tranny is still treatable, why isn't being gay?

 

[Stephanie]

you see how it is folks

If we don't conform to their way we will be beat down, called rednecks, and they will condemn a whole state and party for it

CNN has become nothing more but a DNC work horse and should be shunned

as for the op...sheesh uppity doesn't come close...what you see at DUunderground

 

[IchKampfe]

Regarding this huge ordeal, I believe that compulsive therapy for homosexuals is discriminatory and wrong. Regardless of what your view is regarding homosexuals, you should look at this and feel some sense of "this is wrong." I would not want any of my LGBT friends to undergo therapy simply for their sexuality regardless of what I think, if they choose to do so upon their own accord then that is fine, but compulsory homosexual therapy should not be even considered as it is inhumane and you're simply targeting individuals for who they are.

 

[Stephanie]

Regarding this huge ordeal, I believe that compulsive therapy for homosexuals is discriminatory and wrong. Regardless of what your view is regarding homosexuals, you should look at this and feel some sense of "this is wrong." I would not want any of my LGBT friends to undergo therapy simply for their sexuality regardless of what I think, if they choose to do so upon their own accord then that is fine, but compulsory homosexual therapy should not be even considered as it is inhumane and you're simply targeting individuals for who they are.

who the hell is forcing anyone?

 

[Samson]

Regarding this huge ordeal, I believe that compulsive therapy for homosexuals is discriminatory and wrong. Regardless of what your view is regarding homosexuals, you should look at this and feel some sense of "this is wrong." I would not want any of my LGBT friends to undergo therapy simply for their sexuality regardless of what I think, if they choose to do so upon their own accord then that is fine, but compulsory homosexual therapy should not be even considered as it is inhumane and you're simply targeting individuals for who they are.

who the hell is forcing anyone?

You're harshing yet another Queerly Dramatic Attention Whore Moment.

Without such opportunities, they'd be irrelevant.

 

[Picaro]

Just a thought:

If homosexuality is genetic, and being as homo sex doesn't produce offspring, evolution would have eliminated homos from the human race a long time ago.

You Leftie homos twist and spin science to fit whatever is your agenda at the time.

The De Vay studies a few years pointed to a possibility that sense of smell may have something to do with it in a few cases, but that is indirect evidence of a genetic cause for a very few homosexuals, and not some 'gay gene' or other; most are not exclusively homosexual, and the evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of environmental causes and mental disorders. The only real issue is whether its an associative disorder or a primary disorder.

Unfortunately, no such research can be done given the political hoaxes surrounding the subject, making sure objective scientific studies never get conducted.

 

[Silhouette]

The De Vay studies a few years pointed to a possibility that sense of smell may have something to do with it in a few cases, but that is indirect evidence of a genetic cause for a very few homosexuals, and not some 'gay gene' or other; most are not exclusively homosexual, and the evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of environmental causes and mental disorders. The only real issue is whether its an associative disorder or a primary disorder.

Unfortunately, no such research can be done given the political hoaxes surrounding the subject, making sure objective scientific studies never get conducted.

When training species across the board to become habituated to AI collection [Artificial Insemination], a sense of smell most certainly does play into it. The animal is conditioned to equate the sights, sounds, and smells of the target dummy mount or other animal used to mount and collect off of. So much so that after training just a few times to habituate the new orientation, handlers have to be careful not to introduce those sights, sounds or smells during routine daily care near a dangerous stud animal [such as a bull or stallion] lest they want to get trampled or mounted as the animal becomes sexually aroused.

In fact, the smell [sight and sound] of castrated steers used often in bull collection [to spare the more valuable cows] will arouse the bull. If used enough this way, the bull will drop enthusiasm for cows and prefer steers to mount. Or in layman's terms, he was trained up gay.

That fits with many words in the gay vernacular, "turning out", "to turn" both refer to older gay men molesting boys and young teens in order to orient them to be gay.

Training sexual orientation in zoos and farms for AI applies and works reliably across all species, including some birds and reptiles. Hard to think then that the apex of post-natal learners, homo sapiens, would somehow be exempt. This isn't research or theories. This is industry-in-practice and it has been used like clockwork for centuries now in the ag and zoological fields.

 

[sameech]

why shouldn't all therapy be offered if it's legitimate?
how does that hurt any of you, I mean it should up to the person if they want to use it.. not any of you who for some reason it hurts your sensitive sensibilities..
and because of that one thing ,that op went on some hateful ranting about the state, the people in it and the gop...it was some ugly stuff

You answered your own question. You see, it's not legitimate. All the psychological associations have condemned it.

If someone is over 18 and wants to voluntarily put themselves through it, I'm fine with it, just like I would be fine with someone going to unicorn fart therapy...which has never harmed anyone like conversion "therapy" has.

The fact that the Texas GOP is endorsing something akin to unicorn fart therapy, but with a harmful twist, in their platform makes them deserving of ridicule and scorn.

oh bull, some people will try anything to find a cure..I think you all should MYOB...And why the hell would CNN even report on something so shallow? Get that title...the Gop..
you people for abortions don't care about what it does to a woman after they have one...homosexuals are the biggest whiners ever...poor poor pitiful us

The other cure will be a genetic test for homosexuality so gay babies can be aborted but then pretend like it is all the evil republicans' fault. They are already working on it. The democrats want the votes from gays. They don't like them nearly as much as they pretend.

 

[TheIceMan]

I'm guessing my point was missed? Leave. Go. Kick us out. We'll be heartbroken.

And when you DO leave, take all your snowbirds with you.

 

[Papageorgio]

So we is the left saying that drug and alcohol therapy could be damaging to people. They have found addiction issues to be genetic. We are asking addicts to change the inherit quality. That is like asking a gay person to be straight, why are we not changing laws to accommodate the addicts?

 

[Samson]

Just a thought:

If homosexuality is genetic, and being as homo sex doesn't produce offspring, evolution would have eliminated homos from the human race a long time ago.

You Leftie homos twist and spin science to fit whatever is your agenda at the time.

The De Vay studies a few years pointed to a possibility that sense of smell may have something to do with it .

So, what does "Gay" smell like?

 

[Samson]

So we is the left saying that drug and alcohol therapy could be damaging to people. They have found addiction issues to be genetic. We are asking addicts to change the inherit quality. That is like asking a gay person to be straight, why are we not changing laws to accommodate the addicts?

Because there's no lobby in Washington for drunkards.



Yes, I've checked.

 

[Paperman299]

Just a thought:

If homosexuality is genetic, and being as homo sex doesn't produce offspring, evolution would have eliminated homos from the human race a long time ago.

You Leftie homos twist and spin science to fit whatever is your agenda at the time.

The De Vay studies a few years pointed to a possibility that sense of smell may have something to do with it in a few cases, but that is indirect evidence of a genetic cause for a very few homosexuals, and not some 'gay gene' or other; most are not exclusively homosexual, and the evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of environmental causes and mental disorders. The only real issue is whether its an associative disorder or a primary disorder.

Unfortunately, no such research can be done given the political hoaxes surrounding the subject, making sure objective scientific studies never get conducted.

No, it's not. In fact, I've already posted a sizable crop of findings which show homosexuals and heterosexuals to be different at the biological level.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

There's no one gay gene. What "voodoo science?" What are you even talking about?

The suicide rate among LGBT teens is twice that of straight ones as they face overwhelming bullying. Why don't they simply change their behavior? Even those attempting to hide it (and there are many, thanks to the lingering attitudes of bigotry like what you see in the Texas GOP) by not "acting" gay, are still homosexual. Because homosexuality is attraction.

Gay people don't need to be fixed. People don't need saving from acting gay when so many gay people are actively hiding their orientation.

So your contention is gays are the way the are, just because that's the way they are? So explain it to me, is it like preferring a blue item over say a red or green one? Come on, clue the rest of us uninformed why people become gay, what attracts them to that particular behavior if it's not genetic?

Didn't say it's not genetic. I said there is no one gay gene. There is no simple genetic on/off switch.

That said, the explanation for homosexuality vs heterosexuality that is forming out of research is "it's complicated." For instance, here is a compilation from Wikipedia of what modern studies have found are trending biological differences between straight and gay people:

Gay men and straight women have, on average, equally proportioned brain hemispheres. Lesbian women and straight men have, on average, slightly larger right brain hemispheres.[55]
The VIP SCN nucleus of the hypothalamus is larger in men than in women, and larger in gay men than in heterosexual men.[56]
Gay men report, on an average, slightly longer and thicker penises than non-gay men.[57]
The average size of the INAH-3 in the brains of gay men is approximately the same size as INAH 3 in women, which is significantly smaller, and the cells more densely packed, than in heterosexual men's brains.[34]
The anterior commissure is larger in women than men and was reported to be larger in gay men than in non-gay men,[33] but a subsequent study found no such difference.[58]
Gay men's brains respond differently to fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.[59]
The functioning of the inner ear and the central auditory system in lesbians and bisexual women are more like the functional properties found in men than in non-gay women (the researchers argued this finding was consistent with the prenatal hormonal theory of sexual orientation).[60]
The suprachiasmatic nucleus was found by Swaab and Hopffman to be larger in gay men than in non-gay men,[61] the suprachiasmatic nucleus is also known to be larger in men than in women.[62]
The startle response (eyeblink following a loud sound) is similarly masculinized in lesbians and bisexual women.[63]
Gay and non-gay people's brains respond differently to two putative sex pheromones (AND, found in male armpit secretions, and EST, found in female urine).[30][64][65]
The amygdala, a region of the brain, is more active in gay men than non-gay men when exposed to sexually arousing material.[66]
Finger length ratios between the index and ring fingers have been reported to differ, on average, between non-gay and lesbian women.[67][68][69][70][71][72][73][74][75][76]
Gay men and lesbians are significantly more likely to be left-handed or ambidextrous than non-gay men and women;[77][78][79] Simon LeVay argues that because "[h]and preference is observable before birth...[80] [t]he observation of increased non-right-handness in gay people is therefore consistent with the idea that sexual orientation is influenced by prenatal processes," perhaps heredity.[34]
A study of over 50 gay men found that about 23% had counterclockwise hair whorl, as opposed to 8% in the general population. This may correlate with left-handedness.[81]
Gay men have increased ridge density in the fingerprints on their left thumbs and pinkies.[81]
Length of limbs and hands of gay men is smaller compared to height than the general population, but only among white men.[81]

I don't think anyone has to memorize lists like this or else they're "uninformed" but why not grasp what it means: that gay and straight people have differences at the biological level. So there seem to be a lot of factors to account for to say why someone turns out straight or gay but it's very clear at this point that someone can no more change their sexual orientation through therapy than they could the direction of their hair whorl.

Determinism is the escape hatch for lazy people that don't want to deal with the fact that we have free will and prefer to blame unseen forces for their predicaments. It is the emotional and intellectual equivalent of religious fundamentalism or a belief in astrology, and I categorically reject it. Would you like me to go through the examples you posted individually to point out why they are flawed, or do you prefer to believe that gay men actually have larger penises?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

"Conversion" therapy needs to be banned for anyone under 18. If you're 18 or over and you want to go to angel therapy, pillow therapy or "conversion" therapy, fine.

Then you should also insist they ban treatment for gender dysphoria for anyone under 18, just to be intellectually consistent.

 

[WorldWatcher]

So we is the left saying that drug and alcohol therapy could be damaging to people. They have found addiction issues to be genetic. We are asking addicts to change the inherit quality. That is like asking a gay person to be straight, why are we not changing laws to accommodate the addicts?

Because there's no lobby in Washington for drunkards.



Yes, I've checked.

Technically "drunkards" probably not, for the alcohol industry? Yes


ANHEUSER-BUSCH COMPANIES INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE
Location: ST. LOUIS, MO 63118
Industry: Beer, Wine & Liquor; Beer
Treasurer: ADAMS, RAYMOND J
FEC Committee ID: C00034488

Anheuser-Busch Summary | OpenSecrets


>>>>

 

[Seawytch]

"Conversion" therapy needs to be banned for anyone under 18. If you're 18 or over and you want to go to angel therapy, pillow therapy or "conversion" therapy, fine.

Then you should also insist they ban treatment for gender dysphoria for anyone under 18, just to be intellectually consistent.

That wouldn't be being consistent. One is proven harmful and is panned by major medical associations, the other is not.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Now they are whining over some kind of therapy that's being used

does it ever stop?

maybe they could use black magic, voodoo that might be better

good grief, hating a frikken state, here's a clue. don't move there


cnn is a pos new source who is sole purpose is to stir up the little children

Yeah, we "whined" about frontal lobotomies and abusive shock treatments too. We "whined" when nymphomaniacs were "treated" with clitorectomies.

Why would the Texas GOP want to make this part of their political platform? It is like voodoo or black magic. Could you imagine if those were in the GOP Platform in Texas? They put this condemned "therapy" in their "fikken" platform.

What makes you think the GOP wanted it as part of their platform? The platform is written by a committee that has the authority to add pretty much anything it wants, and ignore anyone who objects to it. Or did you forget how they DNC changed the platform during the convention despite the floor vote to not change it?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

You answered your own question. You see, it's not legitimate. All the psychological associations have condemned it.

If someone is over 18 and wants to voluntarily put themselves through it, I'm fine with it, just like I would be fine with someone going to unicorn fart therapy...which has never harmed anyone like conversion "therapy" has.

The fact that the Texas GOP is endorsing something akin to unicorn fart therapy, but with a harmful twist, in their platform makes them deserving of ridicule and scorn.

oh bull, some people will try anything to find a cure..I think you all should MYOB
you people for abortions don't care about what it does to a woman after they have one...homosexuals are the biggest whiners ever...poor poor pitiful us

You're flopping around like a fish, Staph. The Texas GOP put unicorn fart therapy in their platform. That makes them a laughingstock. Let's just hope their irresponsible behavior doesn't lead to more gay kids committing suicide.

Organizational Positions on Reparative Therapy

American Academy of Pediatrics

"Confusion about sexual orientation is not unusual during adolescence. Counseling may be helpful for young people who are uncertain about their sexual orientation or for those who are uncertain about how to express their sexuality and might profit from an attempt at clarification through a counseling or psychotherapeutic initiative. Therapy directed specifically at changing sexual orientation is contraindicated, since it can provoke guilt and anxiety while having little or no potential for achieving changes in orientation."
Homosexuality and Adolescence, Pediatrics.

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

"The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy takes the position that same sex orientation is not a mental disorder. Therefore, we do not believe that sexual orientation in and of itself requires treatment or intervention."
Statement on Nonpathologizing Sexual Orientation.

American Counseling Association

"The American Counseling Association opposes portrayals of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth and adults as mentally ill due to their sexual orientation; and supports the dissemination of accurate information about sexual orientation, mental health, and appropriate interventions in order to counteract bias that is based on ignorance or unfounded beliefs about same-gender sexual orientation."
Resolution, as reported in the American Psychological Association's publication, "Just the Facts about Sexual Orientation and Youth."

American Medical Association

"Our AMA… opposes, the use of 'reparative' or 'conversion' therapy that is based upon the assumption that homosexuality per se is a mental disorder or based upon the a priori assumption that the patient should change his/her homosexual orientation."
H-160.991, Health Care Needs of the Homosexual Population.

American Psychiatric Association

"Psychotherapeutic modalities to convert or 'repair' homosexuality are based on developmental theories whose scientific validity is questionable. Furthermore, anecdotal reports of "cures" are counterbalanced by anecdotal claims of psychological harm. In the last four decades, "reparative" therapists have not produced any rigorous scientific research to substantiate their claims of cure. Until there is such research available, [the American Psychiatric Association] recommends that ethical practitioners refrain from attempts to change individuals' sexual orientation, keeping in mind the medical dictum to first, do no harm.

The potential risks of reparative therapy are great, including depression, anxiety and self-destructive behavior, since therapist alignment with societal prejudices against homosexuality may reinforce self-hatred already experienced by the patient. Many patients who have undergone reparative therapy relate that they were inaccurately told that homosexuals are lonely, unhappy individuals who never achieve acceptance or satisfaction. The possibility that the person might achieve happiness and satisfying interpersonal relationships as a gay man or lesbian is not presented, nor are alternative approaches to dealing with the effects of societal stigmatization discussed.

Therefore, the American Psychiatric Association opposes any psychiatric treatment, such as reparative or conversion therapy which is based upon the assumption that homosexuality per se is a mental disorder or based upon the a priori assumption that the patient should change his/her sexual homosexual orientation."
Position Statement on Therapies Focused on Attempts to Change Sexual Orientation (Reparative or Conversion Therapies).

American Psychoanalytic Association

"Same-gender sexual orientation cannot be assumed to represent a deficit in personality development or the expression of psychopathology. As with any societal prejudice, anti-homosexual bias negatively affects mental health, contributing to an enduring sense of stigma and pervasive self-criticism in people of same-gender sexual orientation through the internalization of such prejudice.

As in all psychoanalytic treatments, the goal of analysis with homosexual patients is understanding. Psychoanalytic technique does not encompass purposeful efforts to "convert" or "repair" an individual's sexual orientation. Such directed efforts are against fundamental principles of psychoanalytic treatment and often result in substantial psychological pain by reinforcing damaging internalized homophobic attitudes."
Position Statement on Reparative Therapy.

American Psychological Association

"THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the American Psychological Association affirms that same-sex sexual and romantic attractions, feelings, and behaviors are normal and positive variations of human sexuality regardless of sexual orientation identity;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Psychological Association reaffirms its position that homosexuality per se is not a mental disorder and opposes portrayals of sexual minority youths and adults as mentally ill due to their sexual orientation;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Psychological Association concludes that there is insufficient evidence to support the use of psychological interventions to change sexual orientation;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Psychological Association encourages mental health professionals to avoid misrepresenting the efficacy of sexual orientation change efforts by promoting or promising change in sexual orientation when providing assistance to individuals distressed by their own or others' sexual orientation…"
Resolution on Appropriate Affirmative Responses to Sexual Orientation Distress and Change Efforts.​

Every single one of those organizations supported it just a few years ago, and changed their support as the result of political pressure, not science. In other words, all psychology is fake science anyway, so all therapies are equally valid.

In case you missed the point, that means all therapies are invalid, but it still remains none of the government's business what consenting adults do.