Reparative therapy, a so-called "healing process" for gays to become straight, has always been a controversial subject matter in the gay community. Although mainstream psychiatrists have yet to determine what causes one's sexual orientation to deviate, proponents of reparative therapy believe that homosexuality is caused by a traumatic experience as a child.
However, we can say that this therapy is not (as they may say) "a blanket solution to cure homosexuality." For one, as many of us believe, homosexuality is not a disease nor it is a mental condition. However, there could be some cases where men took the gay route to "escape" from their trauma, which mentoring treatments like reparative treatment may help.
Unlike in the United States where many reparative treatments focus on the psychological aspect, the Philippines has its own way of reparative treatment although it is not promoted as such. They call it "Christianity."
An Evangelical Christian group based in the Philippines promotes a series of guide videos, which includes "Born Bading" that aims to "live free from homosexuality." The video is hosted by Anthony Roquel, a former actor who was prominent for his gay role as Tonette Macho in the sitcom Iskul Bukol.
I am appalled by the copy of their video as if homosexuality is more repressing than the dingy closet that hides many secretly-gay actors in the Philippines. I, for one, chose to be free and I never could have felt better.
But what is your view on reparative therapy, or the belief that homosexuality is some form of self-oppression? We want to hear from you!
Comments
as if they can cure homosexuality which is an inert trait...
siguro they can psychological problems but being gay is different.
it's normal and there's nothing abnormal about us that is needed to be cured...
what they have to do is accept the fact that we exist...
ano tayo sulat ng lapis na pdeng burahin!?! Mantsa sa damit na pdeng labhan!?!
why dont these people focus on a more severe aspect of life like the ecological problems causing global warming, or try solving the issues of poverty and unemployment...
nakanang.
sorry
aga aga nag-init ang dugo ko sa kanila....
Dapat siguro nila malaman na though powerful talaga ang utak ntn pero may mga bagay na hindi lang utak ang nagdedecide.
It's our will kung bakit ntin pinili na maging ganito.
At isa pa, we're not just a defect or a disease perhaps na dapat itama.
We have our own rights and beliefs na dapat irespeto.
and i do agree with "Yffar"... really! why not focus on things that really matter? ugh! this just ticked me off... ha!
lol...
~ViN
Yet, whether attempting to minimize homosexual tendencies or eliminating it entirely, there is still no proof that homosexuality is a psychopathology, a mental disorder, or anything caused by biological or genetic conditions and, thus, there is no need to "cure" it.
Although I agree with conversions therapists when they argue that people should be able to determine their own therapeutic goals, I should emphasize that It should be the person's own will to undergo a change in sexual orientation and not because their parents or society told them so.
For those "ex-gays" who chose to become straight, apparently, they weren't happy being gay.
Don't get me wrong, but I've always been a good catholic and I have never experienced any ill-will about being gay from my uncle who is a priest.
i really wonder what's up with ex-gays though... the term itself is really somehow confusing...
and also what's up with ex-gays.. fine if they want to label themselves as ex-gays... and let gays live their own lives din... and give them the freedom to be gay..
parang as if sakit ang pagiging homosexual!
sexuality is diverse! if you chose to be ex gays then fine! it's your life! but to think that if you chose to be like that and it works for you that doesn't mean that you have to implement what it worked for you! duh!!!
your just like pakitang gilas lang with the "work" or "miracle" that has happened to you... that you've changed because "you tried to"... duhhh...