The Pros And Cons Of Sexual Conversion Therapy

Introduction

Sexual conversion therapy is defined as “a process through which reparative therapists believe they can and should make heterosexuals out of homosexuals” by Chuck Bright, award winning psychology author. He goes on to explain that this practice originates from the belief that homosexuality is sinful and immoral, which comes from traditional religious beliefs (Bright 472). Gregory M. Herek, professor of psychology at the University of California, notes in his article that the term homosexuality was first brought up in the early 1900s to define a mental illness. In 1973, the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and the APA called for psychologists to work to remove the stigma historically associated with homosexuality (693). This explains how there is a long history of negative connotations surrounding homosexuality socially, and it was not until recent years when there were movements made to change this. With this recent change in outlook on this sexual minority for many Americans, it has lead to more acceptance for gay people now than in the early to mid-1900s.

Should the practice of sexual conversion therapy be made illegal in the United States for minors? While reparative therapy should be illegal for use by minors in the United States, it should be available to adults who consent to the treatment of free choice. The conclusion that reparative therapy should be illegal for minors