Parents, Families, and Friends of
Support Education Advocacy
Click on the questions, and see the answers below:
About Sexual Orientation
What is sexual orientation? What causes it? Is it a choice? Can therapy change it? What about "conversion therapy"? And "reparative therapy"? How can a therapist help?
About Homosexuality in General
Is it a mental illness? Can homosexuals be good parents? Why do they tell others? why is it difficult for GLBT? How do I overcome prejudice? Why is education important? Do all gay men have AIDS? Where can I learn more?
APA's Position Statement About "Reparative Therapy"
In 1998, at its December 11-12 meeting, the American Psychiatric Association Board of
Trustees unanimously endorsed a position statement opposing reparative therapy.
According to the 1998 position statement:
"The potential risks of 'reparative therapy' are great, including depression, anxiety and self-destructive
behavior, since therapist alignment with societal prejudices against homosexuality may reinforce
self-hatred already experienced by the patient.
"Many patients who have undergone 'reparative therapy' relate that they were inaccurately told
that homosexuals are lonely, unhappy individuals who never achieve acceptance or satisfaction.
"The possibility that the person might achieve happiness and satisfying interpersonal relationships
as a gay man or lesbian is not presented, nor are alternative approaches to dealing with the
effects of societal stigmatization discussed.
"Therefore, the American Psychiatric Association opposes any psychiatric treatment, such as
'reparative' or 'conversion' therapy which is based upon the assumption that homosexuality
per se is a mental disorder or based upon a prior assumption that the patient should change
his/her homosexual orientation. The American Psychiatric Association recognizes that in the
course of ongoing psychiatric treatment, there may be appropriate clinical indications for
attempting to change sexual behaviors." 