The Texas GOP has added so-called “reparative therapy” to its new platform. How out-to-lunch, out of touch, or else plain-out hateful do you have to be to think this is a good idea? How selfish, obtuse, blind and cruel does one have to be?
- This country is not a giant family where “father knows best,” and can impose whatever standard he wants f
or his children, and hope they don’t take off in the middle of the night. - This country is not a giant church where the “people in charge” are going to make Christians out of you, whether you like it or not.
- This country is not a place to trample over anybody in your way to make your name in politics.
Or is it?
Frankly, I cast a wary eye at the whole political process. But wrong is wrong, and no matter where we stand, we have a responsibility to call out wrong when we see it.
And stirring up fear of gays has been part of right-wing conservative politics for decades, causing untold damage. And now, this. Again.
So-called “reparative” or “conversion therapy” is wrong. Period.
If you are unfamiliar with it, I’ll tell you just a little about it. This “therapy” is a desperate attempt to “stamp out” homosexuality, and it will use whatever techniques it can come up with.
One of the original and largest leaders of this nightmare, Exodus International, has shut down, and its founder Alan Chambers, has apologized for the decades of horrible damage and harm this “therapy” caused to thousands.
Real people, that I have talked to, in person, have told me horror stories…
- Using opposite gender pornography to “stimulate heterosexual attraction.”
- Bringing in prostitutes to “stimulate heterosexual attraction.”
- Electric shock to the genitals to “stop same-sex attraction.”
Okay, let’s stop right there.
Absolute insanity.
What kind of Kool-Aid does someone have to drink to pretend this is okay? Or to go even further and promote it??
The blinding part is this does NOT change orientation! It never has. It never will. It has and always will be a fraud.
As we know, many people will do anything for power and profit and victory. And not just in Texas. There are stories of anti-LGBTQ policies and programs for political gain throughout the country And we are now exporting these toxic LGBTQ policies to unsuspecting countries. [Also here and here.]
The fraud of ex-gay “reparative/conversion therapy” has had immeasurable, damaging, devastating impact on the lives of countless LGBTQ people.
And now it’s back?? It’s part of the new Texas GOP platform?? It’s being promoted to other countries??
This is a human disaster waiting to happen.
Please. No more.
Susan Cottrell & FreedHearts 
I went to Exodus International in the summer/fall of 2007. I didn’t have anything as bad as what you’re talking about, but it was horrible to me. “Counseling” with an “ex-gay” all summer, then he recommended I go to the “Healing Waters” program to help combat the thoughts and feelings. I went to the first meeting, felt attracted to one if the other partipant’s (a girl) and never went back!! It took a LONG time, but I am now happily married to the love of my life (a woman)!!
This is so sad and backward for one of the biggest states in our union. How uninformed these people are. They would not have to research very much to find out, that if they want to win, reparative therapy is bogus and always has been, so they have developed a platform for failure.
I agree. But people who lose get mean.
I do feel bad for those who struggle with same sex attraction,but there is other struggles,such as drug and alcohol addiction,people who lie and can’t help it also child molesters,we all know those things are wrong, so we need to say no read Romans chapter1 verse 24 thru27
I’ve said before that this is a very different issue from that. I will answer this fully soon in a Dear Susan post — you can watch for it. Meanwhile, I point you to my resources page, especially What the Bible Says and Doesn’t Say About Homosexuality. Thank you, Naomi
Susan you are so right. I will NEVER understand their thinking. It is so wrong, wrong, wrong
I pray this is repealed.
This is so confusing to me. The GOP, the Democrats and the government are LEGAL entities. They are not religious entities. Their purpose is to serve ALL of their constituents and make sure they are LEGALLY protected and treated EQUALLY under the LAW. LEGALLY it should not matter if homosexuality is a sin or not. Murder is not against the law because it is a “sin”. Murder is against the law because it is against a persons LEGAL right to life. SIN is NOT relevant in the political arena. If you want to be a religious leader in a religious organization, apply for your 501(c) and get busy. The government is not the morality police. Morality cannot be legislated.
If you are of this mind set; then go all the way. Make it illegal for a divorced person to remarry. Make it illegal to have premarital sex. Make it illegal to marry someone of a different religion. To cherry pick from the Bible about what you are willing to “implement” in your platform is hypocrisy in its highest form. Either take that train all the way into the station or get off the train!
This is dispicable. Things like this make Texans look like idiots! Hard to believe in this day we still have thinking like this being promoted. Hugely disappointing. Thank you Susan for all you are doing.
I couldn’t agree more. This is a step backwards….back to the 1950’s or earlier? This has got to be repealed.