Sexual orientation not changeable

Sexual orientation not changeable

Calvin College - Chimes, MI –

By D. Alexander Agard -- Guest Writer

I was shocked by Corissa Baker's article last week about changing sexual orientation. I cannot assume Baker's intentions in writing her article, but her research was incomplete and I feel it is inappropriate and dangerous for her to promote such ideas without fully exploring both sides of the matter.

Baker failed to acknowledge that the American Psychological Association's official stance on homosexuality is that "homosexuality is not an illness. It does not require treatment and is not changeable." The views of Joseph Nicolosi who heads the NARTH Web site Baker referenced are inconsistent with those of the APA because they presuppose that homosexuality is a chosen disorder. In 1973 the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from its official list of mental and emotional disorders, and in 1990, the American Psychological Association stated that scientific evidence shows that reparative therapy does not work and that it can do more harm than good. Since then, every major medical and psychological organization has followed suit.

The organization Exodus International, which is also referenced in Baker's article is not as successful as she claims. In 1979, co-founder of Exodus International Michael Bussee and "ex-gay" therapist Gary Cooper came out publicly to say that "ex-gay" therapies are unsuccessful in changing sexual orientation, and, in many cases, are damaging to the mental and emotional health of clients. Their story is one of the focuses of the documentary "One Nation Under God" (1993), directed by Teodoro Maniaci and Francine Rzeznik.

Incidents of this nature are not uncommon from "ex-gay ministries." Michael Johnston, a proponent for changing sexual orientation and national chair of Coming out of Homosexuality Day, closed his organization, Kerusso Ministries, after disclosing that he had recently engaged in sexual encounters with other men.

Baker said in her article, "Attempting to change one's feelings 'cold turkey' receives as violent a reaction as trying to change any other thought pattern or habit." I take offense at this statement because it implies that changing ones sexual orientation is comparable to quitting smoking or using drugs. Homosexuality is not an addiction; it is an orientation and cannot be altered by self-help tapes or a three-step gum.

The confusion that arises with this issue is that people correlate sexual orientation with behavior. Changing a behavior is possible, while changing orientation is a different matter. A left-handed person can learn to write with her right hand, but right-handed writing will not feel natural and comfortable. Until recently, it was common pedagogical practice to try to re-orient children's handedness because of popular superstitions and perceptions of left-handed people.

A homosexual man can marry a woman, have a family and live a life that appears "normal." The danger is that there is not sufficient evidence that sexual "re-orientation" works. What happens 15 years into the marriage when the man realizes that he hasn't really been "fixed?" Often, such cases result in painful divorces and broken people. Such situations cause harm not only to homosexuals, but also to their heterosexual spouses.

Her three hours of tears cannot compare to the countless hours I have spent contemplating my Christian beliefs and trying to reconcile them with my sexual orientation. Her feelings of alienation do not outweigh the rejection I faced from the people I thought were my friends, nor do they compare with the excruciatingly painful weeks I spent with my devastated parents after I told them their only child is gay.

I feel it is arrogant and foolish for heterosexuals to assume that they know even half of the battle that members of the homosexual community face daily. For someone who is not a homosexual, the concept of change to heterosexuality may seem possible and natural, but for a gay person the prospect is much different.

The day after I came out to my parents, my mother asked me to seek help from a psychologist. The psychologist I saw that summer did not try to persuade me in one way or another but remained as objective as possible. Through his help, the support of my friends, and prayer, I was able to come to the point where I can comfortably say "This is who I am."

The details of how one decides to deal with his homosexuality are really between that person and God. I know Christian homosexuals who are celibate and I also know some who are in committed relationships. It is not the place of Christians to judge, but rather to support their brothers and sisters and encourage them to seek God for guidance. Only then will they encounter the true hope that is in Jesus Christ.