World Health Organization Condemns Ex-Gay Therapy

There's going to be more ranting and spittle spraying in "ex-gay" circles which have been trying to export their fraudulent "therapy" overseas.  The World Health Organization that covers the Americas has come out with a strong condemnation of "reparative therapy," the key stone to the snake oil like "ex-gay" ministries that claim one can pray away the gay.  Or at least the ex-gays for pay like Greg Quinlan and folks at Exodus claim they can in exchange for a pay check.  As noted in posts over the weekend, the "ex-gay" ministries care nothing about the harm they do as long as they make a buck and provide a bogus smoke screen for homophobic Republicans.  What is truly wonderful is that the WHO recommends penalties for those who engage in "ex-gay" therapy.  Think Progress has coverage on this development which will not please hate group leaders like Tony Perkins and James Dobson.  Here are excerpts:

[T]he Pan American Health Organization, the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization, condemned ex-gay therapy in a new position statement, calling it a “serious threat to the health and well-being — even the lives — of affected people.” Not only does the PAHO statement identify the therapies as ineffective and a threat to personal autonomy and personal integrity, but concludes that those who offer such therapies are reinforcing stigma and should be penalized:

Health professionals who offer “reparative therapies” align themselves with social prejudices and reflect a stark ignorance in matters of sexuality and sexual health. Contrary to what many people believe or assume, there is no reason — with the exception of the stigma resulting from those very prejudices — why homosexual persons should be unable to enjoy a full and satisfying life.

The task of health professionals is to not cause harm and to offer support to patients to alleviate their complaints and problems, not to make these more severe. A therapist who classifies non-heterosexual patients as “deviant” not only offends them but also contributes to the aggravation of their problems.

“Reparative” or “conversion therapies” have no medical indication and represent a severe threat to the health and human rights of the affected persons. They constitute unjustifiable practices that should be denounced and subject to adequate sanctions and penalties.

PAHO also offers numerous recommendations to limit the impact of ex-gay therapy:

• Governments should ban ex-gay therapy for its violation of human rights and sanction clinics that offer it.

• Schools should train health professionals about sexuality and sexual diversity to combat stigma.

• Professional associations should reject ex-gay therapy and continue to educate members about it.

• The media should expose homophobia as “a threat to human dignity and human rights” and reject any positive publicity for ex-gay therapy.

Yep, there's going to be shrieking at PFOX and NARTH for certain.  Just imagine if the "ex-gays for pay" have to get real jobs!!