What Happens When Legislation Prevents Therapy

What Happens When Legislation Prevents Therapy

1. Parents will be denied the right to seek a counselor for their children that suits the child’s need and aligns with their family values and spiritual beliefs on sexuality. The right of clients to choose their own goals for therapy is a civil right.

2. There are no outcome-based studies on adolescents undergoing sexual orientation change effort therapy; allegations of harm and ineffectiveness of SOCE therapy are unfounded based on this lack of research in the peer-reviewed literature. When examining the outcomes of adults undergoing SOCE therapy, a 2009 review of the scientific literature identified over one hundred years of research that demonstrates some clients with unwanted same-sex attractions may experience change or fluidity in their orientation and identity as a result of psychotherapy. 2

3. American Association of Christian Counselors, Catholic Medical Association, American College of Pediatricians, Christian Medical Association, Freedom2Care, Alliance for Therapeutic Choice and Scientific Integrity, and the International Network of Orthodox Jewish Mental Health Professionals represent over 100,000 medical and mental health professionals and they all support the rights of clients to pursue therapy to change.

4. Psychotherapy/counseling is both medical conduct and speech. Banning SOCE therapy is against the First Amendment of the Constitution and is viewpoint discrimination.

5. Children who are molested and develop same-sex attraction (SSA) as a result of sexual abuse will be denied access to highly qualified professional counselors who are trained on how to treat trauma and help clients resolve SSA. Same-sex attracted persons are more likely to be victims of sexual abuse than heterosexuals.3,4

6. It has now been proven that some of the stories of “therapy torture” and harm told by gay activists testifying in front of legislatures are fabricated.5

7. Scientists cannot conclude that same-sex attractions are caused by genes, hormones, or brain differences. It’s a combination of many factors. 6, 7 Science has not determined that anyone is born gay.

8. Research suggests that sexual orientation, especially in adolescence, is fluid and subject to change. 8, 9, 10

9. Individuals who do not identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) believe they are inherently heterosexual and seek help to identify the specific reasons why they experience unwanted SSA.

10. Heterosexual identity affirming therapy is not different from any other psychotherapy. Counselors who work with clients who experience unwanted SSA/gender identity confusion are licensed and provide psychological services for a wide variety of issues.


1. These states include: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.
2. Phelan, J.E., Whitehead, N. & Sutton, P.M. (2009). What Research Shows: NARTH’s Response to the APA Claims on Homosexuality. Journal of Human Sexuality, 1, 1-94.
3. Walker, M. D., Hernandez, A. M., & Davey, M. (2012). Childhood Sexual Abuse and Adult Sexual Identity Formation: Intersection of Gender, Race, and Sexual Orientation. Family Therapy, 40(5), 385-398
4. Tomeo, M.E., Templer, D. I., Anderson, S., & Kotler, D. (2001). Comparative Data of Childhood and Adolescence Molestation in Heterosexual and Homosexual Persons. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 30(5), 535-541.
5. Doyle, C.J. (March 21, 2013). Transgendered ‘woman’ lies about therapy ‘torture’. Retrieved online at: http://www.wnd.com/2013/03/transgendered-woman-lies-about-therapy-torture; also see: http://www.fpiw.org/about/family-policy-blog/the-fear-of-change.html
6. American Psychological Association. (2008). Answers to your questions: For a better understanding of sexual orientation and homosexuality. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, p. 2.
7. Whitehead, N.E. & Whitehead B. (2013). My Genes Made Me Do It! A scientific look at Sexual Orientation. Lafayette, LA: Huntington House Publishers.
8. Savin-Williams, R. C. & Ream, G. L. (2007). Prevalence and stability of sexual orientation components during adolescence and young adulthood. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 36(3), 385-394.
9. Savin-Williams, R. C. & Ream, G. L. (2006). Pubertal onset and sexual orientation in an adolescent national probability sample. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 35(3), 279-286.
10. Whitehead, N.E. (2009). Adolescent Sexual Orientation: Surprising amounts of change.