Bakersfield has the cure for gays and it rhymes with schmull-shit.

Let me preface this article by saying I, in no way, intend to portray both sides of this argument with a neutral eye. I believe it does a great disservice to truth when we attempt to be objective about every subject. There is no more journalistic integrity in portraying the “positives” of reparative therapy than there is in being neutral on the subject of  segregation.

Whitney Weddell

A recent news piece from KGET channel 17 delves into the myths about “reparative therapy“, that is, the idea that homosexuality can be cured through faith and any other number of unproven and potentially dangerous methods. The idea of repairing or changing someones sexuality may seem as comical as praying for lighter skin or changing ones ethnicity,  however,  in the world of abject stupidity, there are few fields that are not staffed with an army of professional extremists.

Phillip Lee, of His Way Out ministries will tell you, that not only is changing ones sexuality possible, but that he is living proof of it.

“I spent 17 years in what many refer to as the gay lifestyle,” Lee said. “I found out, like so many others, that to call homosexuality gay is a contradiction.”

No more of a contradiction than claiming faith is fact though, or so it would seem. I am sure I am just splitting hairs at this point… right.

Phillip runs his service out of a downtown Bakersfield office and claims to be working with 100 individuals dealing with identity issues and “sexual brokenness”, which isn’t an actual clinical term anymore than Taco Bell could be considered fine Mexican food. A quick search engine query will pull up several sites that link the creation and use of the term with churches and Christian ministry groups. The message here is pretty simple.

“When reality lets you down, make shit up.”

The problem with this type of activity is that these individuals are often dragged into these situations against their will, by poorly educated and ill informed parents. These “conversion therapy” procedures often do irreparable harm to their patients, causing immense self doubt, self hatred and shame. The process is so dangerous and controversial that the American Psychological Association has gone on record to oppose and discourage it, adding that no evidence has shown any such thing is possible, but plenty exists to demonstrate the harm it causes the patient.

Scientifically, there’s not enough evidence to measure the counseling effectiveness, said CSUB counseling psychology professor Kathleen Ritter, who says sexual orientation is a complex topic.

“The longest time that any population was followed in any study is six months so we don’t know if that initial ‘Oh I changed’ held.”

Ritter helped review the American Psychological Association’s guidelines http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbc/guidelines on sexual orientation and efforts to change it.

Through the guideline, the APA resolved homosexuality is not a mental disorder and mental health professionals should avoid telling clients they can change their sexual orientation through therapy or other treatments.

Ritter doesn’t suggest conversion therapy for her patients in her private practice, but says it would be unethical to persuade someone from using of it.

“We don’t want to look like we have the religious people on one end and psychologists on the other and that we’re fighting each other. Because that’s not true.” Ritter said.

I will take Kathleen Ritter’s last statement and expand upon it a little more. While this may not be about religion versus psychology, it has everything to do with reason and logic versus blind intolerance and ignorance. There is little point in arguing against that, but it still warrants being said.

Later on in the segment, Whitney Weddel, chair of the Bakersfield LGBTQ organization was introduced and offered another counter argument to the junk science that was being peddled.

Whitney goes on to say…

“For years in schools, people were forced to not be left handed. We know now these are wonderfully diverse ways of being normal,” said activist Whitney Weddell. “The 100 kids that come in with their parents, I wonder how many parents drag them in and are being forced to this therapy that is just a waste of time.”

There is currently a poll on the KGET website that asks its visitors to state whether they believe people can become “straight” through reparative therapy. The poll has gone up and down over the night, but there is still a dangerously high percentage of people who believe it’s possible. It is very unlikely that any of those people will be reading this, but in the off chance, let’s have a quick look at one of the many forms of this “healthy” and “loving” spiritual therapy.

If you can stand to watch the video long enough to get past her butchery of the English language, maybe you can answer me this. Is it wrong for me to find it so comical, that a people once bonded into slavery through the use of the Bible, are now using that same book to bond others?

If you visit, “His Way Out” ministries you will find a website that is in much need of a redesign and apparently money. The good lord seems to have the power to undo the mistakes he supposedly made, but lacks the ability to give his followers the money they need to continue. On closer inspection, there is plenty of false information on the website, as well as vague and conveniently shadow like speak about the actual process or outcome of these therapies. Outside of “working within the holy spirit of the lord”, there is little information on the actual process of turning one against their inner nature. It has long been believed that these therapies change no one, but are successful in shaming the individuals into denying their true identity.

It would seem to me that the Lord needs to worry less about homosexuals and more about those in need.

Might I suggest these people?

In the end, there is little to be said about this topic that is not already surrounding us. Discussing the pros and cons of these therapies is akin to weighing the downsides and upsides of being burned alive.  Sure, you may survive the process, but you will never be yourself again.

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