A New Family Value: Ban Ex-Gay Therapy
Fri Aug 17, 2007 at 10:32:23 PM PDT
In the United States, we have allowed the phrase "free exercise of religion" to become limitless. There are those who claim they have a constitutionally-protected religious right to homeschool their children --- fine. There are others who claim they have a constitutionally-protected religious right to attend religion-based schooling --- wonderful. Unfortunately, there are far too many who claim they have a constitutionally-protected right to abuse their children by sending them to ex-gay therapy, Christian "boot camps" and, most egregiously, electroshock therapy.
Let's say that in a horribly hypothetical situation, my child breaks his/her leg. If I refuse to seek medical treatment for my injured child, I have committed child abuse and violated the law. In the reverse, if I force-fed my child medication to treat cancer, though my child is cancer-free, I will have again committed child abuse and violated the law. I cannot fathom, however, why it is perfectly legal and even encouraged by some for a parent to force his/her child to undergo dangerous and even traumatic treatments in order to "cure" him/her of homosexual tendencies or inclinations.
A very close friend of mine who, like me, is in his mid-twenties was sent away by his Roman Catholic parents when he was a teenager. He was forced to receive an overabundance of electro-shock therapy treatments which the administering physician claimed would remove him of his homosexual tendencies (such as a lisp). In other instances, children who are simply perceived to be gay have been subjected to horrible brainwashing in the name of "free exercise of religion". Such brainwashing has included showing a child a nude picture of the opposing gender and receiving no shock immediately followed by showing a child a nude picture of the same gender and administering a shock. Did the Founding Fathers seriously intend for the Free Exercise Clause to be used in such a way as to treat American children like lab rats or disobedient dogs?
We have heard over the last 7 to 10 years that "family values" are of high importance to some voters. Well, perhaps it's time that we progressives and liberals demand our Democratic Congress to enact laws support NEW family values. One of those laws MUST include a ban on forcing children to undergo therapies which are discounted and even condemned by the American Psychological Association. As has been discussed, the APA will be convening soon to make changes and edits to its current policies on ex-gay or reparative therapies. I say it's time we talk with Congressman Barney Frank and Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin --- let's have them bring witnesses before Congress to testify about their experience in ex-gay so-called "Christian" boot camps.
I was raised in the Church of the Nazarene which is a Fundamentalist denomination formed in the early 20th century by Methodists and Pentecostals. I saw during my adolescence how two of my closest friends were ridiculed and demeaned by members of the church when they admitted a possible homosexual attraction. I, too, was warned that because of my effeminacy, I might be sent away and recommended to Exodus International or an even more outrageous type of "treatment." Thankfully my mother was more level-headed than to ever consider such an idea. I was quite active and very prominent within my denomination as a teenager. As a pianist, I had a leadership position as assistant director of music at my church, I was a frequent performer and worship leader at statewide conventions and camp meetings, and I was a member of a district wide choir which traveled to churches and performed every weekend. I was intimidated and shamed by leaders among these groups when I hinted at the idea of being attracted to someone of the same-sex. I was warned that any indication of homosexuality would result in my immediate referral to various ex-gay ministries/psychotherapists and my removal from all of my positions. It was under this duress, but at the age of 18, that I made the conscious decision to abandon the Church of the Nazarene. By the way, one of those two teenage friends whom I previously mentioned was having a consensual affair with a married pastor and father familiar to us both. Yet, even after the denomination settled his case out of court, kept things quiet, and forced him to sign a gag order on the matter (a few years before the Roman Catholic church sex scandals exploded), his name was constantly used as an example of the types of "evil" associated with homosexuality.
I have seen what these types of therapies can do --- they instill feelings of self-loathing, utter worthlessness, and suicidal thoughts. I also spent many a night trying to "pray the gay away" thinking that I was such a detestable individual because I was attracted to a member of my own gender. It wasn't until several years after leaving the church that I finally became comfortable with who and what I was --- that which God had made. My talents and intelligence far outweighed any possible shortcomings that the church somehow indoctrinated me with.
I ask you, Kossacks, to rally behind those who wish to stop forced therapy of children because of homosexuality --- IT IS CHILD ABUSE. I urge you to support a ban on ex-gay therapy for children. I implore you to strike down those who claim they have a constitutionally-protected religious right to electroshock their children. These are the true family values we should be representing. Let us join together and stop this type of child abuse.
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