Resources > Medical Research > A Fundamental Personal Attribute

American Psychiatric Association:

“The longstanding consensus of the behavioral and social sciences and the health and mental health professions is that homosexuality per se is a normal and positive variation of human sexual orientation… the benefits reported by participants in sexual orientation change efforts can be gained through approaches that do not attempt to change sexual orientation…”

“To date, there are no scientifically rigorous outcome studies to determine either the actual efficacy or harm of ‘reparative’ treatments. … The literature consists of anecdotal reports of individuals who have claimed to change, people who claim that attempts to change were harmful to them, and others who claimed to have changed and then later recanted those claims.”

American Counseling Association:

“We found no scientific evidence published in psychological peer-reviewed journals that conversion therapy is effective in changing an individual’s sexual orientation from same-sex attractions to opposite-sex attractions. … We did conclude that research published in peer-reviewed counseling journals indicates that conversion therapies may harm clients.” ”There is potential for harm when clients participate in conversion therapy. Results of studies indicate that there are clients who enter this type of treatment and then report that they function more poorly than when they entered (Nicolosi, Byrd, & Potts, 2000; Schroeder & Shidlo, 2001).”

National Association of Social Workers:

“…reparative or conversion therapies … cannot and will not change sexual orientation. Aligned with the American Psychological Association’s (1997) position, NCLGB believes that such treatment potentially can lead to severe emotional damage. …No data demonstrate that reparative or conversion therapies are effective, and in fact they may be harmful.”

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy:

“the association does not consider homosexuality a disorder that requires treatment, and as such, we see no basis for such therapy.”

American Academy of Pediatrics:

“Therapy directed specifically at changing sexual orientation is contraindicated, since it can provoke guilt and anxiety while having little or no potential for achieving changes in orientation.” “Avoid any treatments that claim to be able to change a person’s sexual orientation, or treatment ideas that see homosexuality as a sickness.”

“Just the Facts” Coalition:

• “The promotion in schools of efforts to change sexual orientation by therapy or through religious ministries seems likely to exacerbate the risk of harassment, harm, and fear for these youth.”
• “Such efforts have serious potential to harm young people because they present the view that the sexual orientation of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth is a mental illness or disorder, and they often frame the inability to change one’s sexual orientation as a personal and moral failure.”
• “The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Counseling Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the American School Counselor Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, and the National Association of Social Workers, together representing more than 480,000 mental health professionals, have all taken the position that homosexuality is not a mental disorder and thus is not something that needs to or can be ‘cured.’”
• Endorsed by: American Academy of Pediatrics; American Association of School Administrators; American Counseling Association; American Federation of Teachers; American Psychological Association; American School Counselor Association; American School Health Association; Interfaith Alliance Foundation; National Association of School Psychologists; National Association of Secondary School Principals; National Association of Social Workers; National Education Association; School Social Work Association of America

World Health Organization:

“Sexual orientation by itself is not to be regarded as a disorder.”

British Medical Association:

“Sexuality is such a fundamental part of who a person is, that attempts to change it just result in significant confusion, depression and even suicide. You can’t just wish away same-sex attraction no matter how inconvenient it might be.”

Royal College of Psychiatrists:

“There is no sound scientific evidence that sexual orientation can be changed. Furthermore so-called treatments of homosexuality as recommended by NARTH create a setting in which prejudice and discrimination can flourish.”

British Association for Counseling & Psychiatry:

“BACP opposes any psychological treatment such as ‘reparative’ or ‘conversion’ therapy which is based upon the assumption that homosexuality is a mental disorder, or based on the premise that the client/patient should change his/her sexuality.”

Australian Psychological Society:

The Australian Psychological Society acknowledges the lack of scientific evidence for the usefulness of conversion therapy, and notes that it can in fact be harmful for the individual.”

General Assembly of the Norwegian Psychiatric Association:

“Homosexuality is no disorder or illness, and can therefore not be subject to treatment. A ‘treatment’ with the only aim of changing sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual must be regarded as ethical malpractice, and has no place in the health system.”

American Academy of Physician Assistants:

“The American Academy of Physician Assistants opposes any psychiatric treatment directed specifically at changing sexual orientation…”

American School Counselor Association:

“It is not the role of the professional school counselor to attempt to change a student’s sexual orientation/gender identity … sexual orientation is not an illness and does not require treatment…”

American Psychoanalytic Association:

“Such directed efforts are against fundamental principles of psychoanalytic treatment and often result in substantial psychological pain by reinforcing damaging internalized homophobic attitudes.”