May 13, 2014

The following excerpt is from the article “Chatting with a leader of the ‘ex-gay’ movement about converting some to heterosexuality” by Tom Jackman on the Washington Post Website: … Tom Jackman: “So if SOCE is not ‘brainwashing’ or ‘praying away the gay,’ what is it?”

Christopher Doyle: “To understand what SOCE therapy is, you must first understand the meaning of sex. There are many different approaches to SOCE therapy, and the model I use at the International Healing Foundation is to: 1) Identify the root causes of the client’s SSA; 2) Resolve those issues with the client in therapy; and 3) Help the client receive unmet emotional needs from the same gender in non-sexual relationships with heterosexual friends. Often times, the issues that clients work through include painful trauma from the same gender (parent/peers) such as rejection, not feeling wanted, not fitting in, bullying, and feeling inferior because of their gender non-confirming behavior and interests. When clients work through those issues in therapy and experience acceptance and intimacy in non-sexual relationships with heterosexual friends (males with males/females with females), the desire for sex with the same gender gradually decreases as they begin to understand what they are really looking for, emotional connection with the same gender, not sex. (more…)

May 8, 2014

The following excerpts are from the article “As Many as Nine State Legislatures Have Now Rejected SOCE Therapy Bans” by Christopher Doyle on the Voice of the Voiceless website: …“We have been following this legislation for quite some time, and were involved in the defeat of bills in Virginia, Maryland, Washington, Minnesota, and Illinois. But recently, we learned that a few other states have quietly dismissed these measures as well, including Hawaii, Wisconsin, and Rhode Island. Of course, the mainstream media won’t report this news; you’ll only hear about it on this website. …. In Hawaii, the bill was ‘deferred’ by the committee, ultimately causing it to die in this year’s session. … In Wisconsin, SB481 ‘failed to pass pursuant to Joint Senate Resolution 1.’ … Meanwhile, thanks to efforts from Equality And Justice For All, the bill in Pennsylvania has little chance of getting a hearing and out of committee, and in Ohio, a similar fate will likely befall SB 188. That leaves Massachusetts, Vermont, Florida, Washington, DC and New York,” …

April 11, 2014

The following excerpts are from the report “Truth Wins Out! Illinois Becomes Fifth State to Reject Change Therapy Ban Bill” on the Voice of the Voiceless website: “Late yesterday afternoon, the Illinois House voted 44 to 51 to reject HB 5569, a bill that would have prohibited minors with unwanted same-sex attraction (SSA) from receiving Sexual Orientation Change Effort (SOCE) therapy from a licensed mental health practitioner. Illinois became the fifth state in a row to reject this legislation, following Maryland, Minnesota, Washington, and Virginia, whose legislatures also voted down similar bills in 2014.”

“‘It’s clear that even the most progressive states do not want to pass laws that take away the rights of individuals when the foundation of such legislation is based on lies and misinformation,’ commented Christopher Doyle, President of Voice of the Voiceless. (more…)

March 28, 2014

The following excerpts are from the blog “Where is the victory” by Robert Gollwitzer on the Homosexuals Anonymous website: “Men and women with unwanted same-sex attractions often meet in local or online groups, seek out therapists and get all those wonderful resources out there. All good and nice. Nothing to be said against that. And yet, you have some who keep on telling you they’ve tried ‘everything’ and ‘nothing’ worked so far. Oh really. After years and years of dealing with those folks that I love with all of my heart, here some points to ponder (or better: kicks in the butt):”

“- So you’ve tried everything. Did ya. Usually, a closer look reveals that they tried nothing for real. They might show up at one or two meetings, or order a book – and this is it. (more…)

March 28, 2014

The following excerpts are from the article … “Take Away Hope and You Kill a Child: Illinois Advances Hope Killing Legislation” by Chuck Peters on the Voice of the Voiceless website: “Lesbian Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy [Illinois] is the sponsor of the ill-conceived ‘Youth Mental Health Protection Act’. This bill does nothing to protect the mental health of any child except to tell a minor child if you have a homosexual thought or feeling, you need to collapse that into your identity, grab your rainbow flag, and live the rest of your life as a homosexual.”

“Essentially, this bill is another form of child abuse at the hands of the militant gay activists like Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy. If this bill would have been a law when I was a child I would not be writing this article today. (more…)

March 25, 2014

The following press release “International Healing Foundation Demands Answers from Md. Delegate Jon Cardin – Alliance Defending Freedom Allied Attorneys to Investigate Defamation and Discriminatory Conduct” by the International Healing Foundation is reprinted in its entirety: Bowie, MD — International Healing Foundation (IHF), a non-profit therapeutic organization based in Bowie, Maryland is demanding answers from Md. Del. Jon Cardin, who recently introduced, then withdrew, HB 91, which proposed banning licensed mental health practitioners in Maryland from helping minor clients who seek to resolve unwanted same-sex attraction (SSA).

Since 1990, IHF has helped thousands of individuals with unwanted SSA and families struggling with sexual orientation, but on at least two separate occasions, Del. Cardin made defamatory statements about the organization in reference to HB 91. With the help of Garza Regan & Associates, Alliance Defending Freedom Allied Attorneys in Maryland, IHF is launching an investigation into Cardin’s activities with Equality Maryland and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. (more…)

March 23, 2014

The following excerpts are from the letter written by John H. Raney, M.D., ABPN and Anthony Duk, M.D. ABPN to the Illinois committee overseeing the bill to ban change therapy: “May we respectfully suggest that the efforts of some to ban SOCE therapy in Illinois are: An unfounded overreach without support in scientific research. (Even the APA’s task force made up of gay activists and gay affirming professionals – without one professional who actually does SOCE(!), said there wasn’t enough research to say whether it was harmful or beneficial)” …

“Those who are wrongly forced to live with unwanted same sex attraction will unfortunately face the same documented medical and psychological problems faced by those in the gay lifestyle which include: -Increased rates of depression, drug abuse, suicidal ideation and behavior – Tremendously increased rates of HIV infection and AIDS – Increased rates of Hepatitis B and C – Increased rates of anal and colon cancer” …

March 21, 2014

The following excerpts are from the article “California accused of discriminating against Christians” on the World Net Daily website: “When California lawmakers passed a law preventing licensed therapists from discussing with their clients how to eliminate unwanted same-sex attractions, their intent was to discriminate against the Judeo-Christian belief that homosexuality is sinful, charges a new brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court.”

“The document was submitted by Freedom X, a nonprofit public interest law firm, as well as Parents and Friends of ExGays and Gays, a leading advocacy organization for the ex-‘gay’ community. The brief is in support of a request that the Supreme Court review and overturn a decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that endorsed the censorship of specific words and ideas in therapy sessions in the state.” (more…)

March 20, 2014

The following excerpt is from the article “Maryland and Minnesota … Reject Change Therapy Bills” on the VoV website: “While [Maryland Delegate Jon] Cardin claimed that the reason the bill was withdrawn was due to the existing regulatory oversight protections that are already in place to protect youth from “harmful conversion therapy,” the real reason was because of the bill’s lack of support within his own party. In reality, the unconstitutional notion of taking away the rights of individuals with unwanted same-sex attractions did not sit well with Maryland legislators, and with Cardin engaged in the race for Attorney General, he was not about to take a chance that this bill would fail. The timing of the press conference (Friday) was also indicative that Cardin wanted very little attention on the withdraw of this bill.”

March 21, 2014

The following excerpts are from the article “California accused of discriminating against Christians” on the World Net Daily website: “When California lawmakers passed a law preventing licensed therapists from discussing with their clients how to eliminate unwanted same-sex attractions, their intent was to discriminate against the Judeo-Christian belief that homosexuality is sinful, charges a new brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court.” …

“‘By omitting the APA Report’s qualified definition of ‘acceptance and support’ to include the patient’s ‘values, beliefs and needs,’ SB 1172 shows a legislative intent to prevent the patient’s values and beliefs from guiding the psycho-therapeutic treatment.’” (more…)