Lesbian Lawmaker Introduces Bill To Ban ‘Ex-Gay’ Therapy For Minors

[TexasTowelie]

Waco native Bryan Christopher spent 18 years trying to change his sexual orientation before finally coming out as gay.

Bryan Christopher was born in 1970 to two Baylor University students in Waco—what he calls “the Southern Baptist epicenter of the world.”

At 13, Christopher realized his dad’s Playboy magazines didn’t appeal to him. But because he’d been taught that being gay was a sin, he’d spend the next 18 years trying to change his sexual orientation through both religious and mental health counseling.

At 25, when Christopher feared he was in love with a fraternity brother at UCLA, he felt the urge to jump off a cliff. He called a suicide hotline and spent three days in a psychiatric ward, but it wouldn’t be until six years later that he finally came out as gay.

Looking back, the now 45-year-old Christopher blames so-called “reparative therapy” for many of his struggles. He’s written a book about his experiences and speaks out in support of bills like one filed Friday at the Texas Legislature, which would ban reparative therapy for minors.

Read more: http://www.texasobserver.org/lesbian-lawmaker-introduces-bill-to-ban-ex-gay-therapy-for-minors/#.VQNFBLb8j70.twitter

[Thinkingabout]

1. I have wondered if reparative therapy would work to reorient sexual desires

Then surely it would work on the homophobes. On a serious note it is not effective so I doubt it would be effective on the homophobes. We are all humans, one isn't better than the next.

[marym625]

2. It not only doesn't change anyone's sexual orientation,

It's very harmful. Horrible, horrible thing.

[Thinkingabout]

3. I agree but it just may reverse the treatment for the hateful ones.

[marym625]

4. Would be nice to put them through what they put others through

Maybe showing them how it wouldn't make them gay would make them realize that you can't make someone straight.

However, I don't think that they would be intelligent enough to understand