人兽性交

The Southern Poverty Law Center marked National Coming Out Day by filing a today against a Chicago-area social worker who offers conversion therapy services 鈥� a dangerous and unethical practice that proponents claim can change a person鈥檚 sexual orientation.

The complaint sent to the licensing board 鈥� the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation 鈥� calls upon the department to investigate the social worker鈥檚 professional integrity. The complaint states that conversion therapy, an anti-gay and medically harmful practice, is a violation of Illinois鈥� Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing Act.

Conversion therapy is a psychologically damaging practice based on the premise that people can change their sexual orientation, literally 鈥渃onverting鈥� from gay to straight. It has been discredited or highly criticized by all major American medical, psychiatric, psychological and professional counseling organizations. In 2006, the American Psychological Association (APA) declared: 鈥淭here is simply no sufficiently scientifically sound evidence that sexual orientation can be changed.鈥�

鈥淚t is deeply concerning that a mental health professional, licensed by the state of Illinois, is allowed to freely practice a discredited form of counseling that has no place in modern therapy,鈥� said Christine P. Sun, 人兽性交 deputy legal director. 鈥淐onversion therapy has caused nothing but pain and devastation. The state of Illinois must hold mental health professionals accountable for unethical and harmful conduct.鈥�

The 人兽性交 urged all state licensing boards and professional organizations to vigorously enforce regulations that can prevent mental health professionals from practicing this junk science. People who have undergone treatment have reported increased anxiety, depression, and in some cases, suicidal thoughts.

The 人兽性交 also noted the significance of filing the complaint on National Coming Out Day.

鈥淣ational Coming Out Day was established in order to promote a safe world for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals to live truthfully and openly,鈥� Sun said. 鈥淭his is in sharp contrast to the lies and bigotry peddled by the conversion therapy movement. We are happy that we can expose the movement and allow this day to truly reflect what it was established to do 鈥� support LGBT people.鈥�

In its 2006 statement, the APA expressed concern that the positions espoused by some of the leading advocates of conversion therapy 鈥渃reate an environment in which prejudice and discrimination can flourish.鈥�

As part of an effort to raise awareness of this practice, the 人兽性交 released a video featuring a conversion therapy survivor who tells his story.

Jerry, a 23-year-old Texan, underwent seven years of conversion therapy, which caused only anguish and pain. It did not change his sexual orientation or the orientation of anyone he met during his treatment.

鈥淭he ex-gay industry did nothing but provide me and my family with false promises,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his industry preys on gay and lesbian people and their families, who buy into the idea that someone鈥檚 gay orientation can be cured. Conversion therapy is a failure and it鈥檚 wrong. We must stop this dangerous practice before more people get hurt.鈥�

The 人兽性交 was joined by the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health (ICAH) in filing the complaint.

鈥淲e joined this complaint because we advocate safe policies and practices in healthcare access that affirm the sexual health, identity and rights of youth in Illinois,鈥� said Yamani Hernandez, executive director for ICAH. 鈥淭his social worker is offering a practice that is harmful to the health of young people. We are concerned about his licensure as a form of endorsement of his behavior.鈥�

The American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA) also criticized conversion therapy during a media briefing about the complaint.

鈥淭he nation鈥檚 leading mental health organizations caution against subjecting gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender individuals to conversion therapy because it has been found to be ineffective and harmful,鈥� said R. Dennis Shelby, Ph.D., director of doctoral studies for the Institute for Clinical Social Work. Shelby is also co-chair of APsaA鈥檚 committee on advocacy.

Conversion therapy survivors, and friends and family members of survivors, are encouraged to privately share their stories . Readers also can view an interactive map showing the locations of nearly 70 therapists who advertise conversion therapy.