Psychiatrist
who championed 'gay cure' admits he was wrong
Dr Robert Spitzer apologises for 'fatally flawed' study, published in 2001,
which claimed gay people could be 'cured' if properly motivated
- Paul Harris in New York
- guardian.co.uk,
Saturday 19 May 2012 17.13 BST
US gay and lesbian groups are likely to be delighted by Robert Spitzer's
apology. Photograph: Sara D. Davis/Getty Images
One of the most influential figures in modern psychiatry has apologised to
America's gays for a scientific study which supported attempts to
"cure" people of their homosexuality.
The survey, published in 2001, looked at "reparative therapy" and
was hailed by religious and social conservatives in America as proof that gay
people could successfully become straight if they were motivated to do so.
But Dr Robert Spitzer has now apologised in the same academic journal that
published his original study, calling it "fatally flawed". "I
believe I owe the gay community an apology," his letter said. "I also
apologise to any gay person who wasted time and energy undergoing some form of
reparative therapy because they believed that I had proven that reparative therapy
works."
Spitzer's letter, which was leaked online before its publication in the Archives
of Sexual Behaviour, is sure to cause delight among gay civil rights groups
and stir up anger among social conservatives, who have used the study to combat
the acceptance of homosexuality as a normal part of human society.
Reparative therapy is popular among Christian conservative groups, which
run clinics and therapy sessions at which people try to become heterosexual
through counselling. Gay
rights activists condemn such practices as motivated by religious
faith, not science, and call them "pray away the gay" groups.
Spitzer's study looked at the experiences of 200 people undertaking the
therapy, including subjects that had been provided by religious groups. He then
asked each person the same set of questions, analysing their responses to the
therapy and their feelings and sexual urges afterwards. He concluded that many
of them reported feelings of changes in their sexual desires from homosexual to
heterosexual.
Summary :
As the title explains Dr. Robert Spitzer had investigated and found a way to ‘cure’ gay people. Years later he’s willing to admit his studies were wrong and that gayness can’t be cured. He also apologizes to gay people who have actually done the therapy and wasted their time trying to ‘cure’. His investigation included 200 people undertaking the therapy and asked each person the same set of questions. After that he analyzed their responses and most people often felt their preference of gender change from homosexual to heterosexual. As I said before he admitted that this investigation was no good proof that gay people could be cured in some way. (111)
As the title explains Dr. Robert Spitzer had investigated and found a way to ‘cure’ gay people. Years later he’s willing to admit his studies were wrong and that gayness can’t be cured. He also apologizes to gay people who have actually done the therapy and wasted their time trying to ‘cure’. His investigation included 200 people undertaking the therapy and asked each person the same set of questions. After that he analyzed their responses and most people often felt their preference of gender change from homosexual to heterosexual. As I said before he admitted that this investigation was no good proof that gay people could be cured in some way. (111)
Review:
The whole investigation and therapy sounds like rubbish to me. Why would you even want to cure gay people? If they even can’t be cured! His point of view is one I cannot find recognition in, luckily. What I find most disturbing is that people who cooperated with his therapy have been lied to all this time. And after years he admits to be wrong, the people who have done the therapy have wasted their time. It is brave of him to apologize to the gay community but after all they at least deserved an apology from him. ( 98)
The whole investigation and therapy sounds like rubbish to me. Why would you even want to cure gay people? If they even can’t be cured! His point of view is one I cannot find recognition in, luckily. What I find most disturbing is that people who cooperated with his therapy have been lied to all this time. And after years he admits to be wrong, the people who have done the therapy have wasted their time. It is brave of him to apologize to the gay community but after all they at least deserved an apology from him. ( 98)
Wow what a remark: "Curing gay people" as if being gay is a disease. Personally I have no gay seksual friends so I can't tell if they catch the flew a lot. I'm glad this man came to his senses and apologized to all gay people who done the course.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI think that he whole concept of the course must have been quite funny. There aren't that many gay people in a town so dating must be quite hard for them. Than all of a sudden this professor thinks of an idea to cure all gay people and invites them to his office. I think that his research changed into a gay meeting point and that he was so embarrassed that his research failed that he decided to end it before someone else found out haha