March 13, 2013

Following are transcribed excerpts of Christopher Rosik, Ph.D. articulating NARTH’s perspectives. Rosik is the current president of the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH):

“… My fellow panelists and I wish to publicly provide confirmation of one fact: that ‘sexual orientation’ is not immutable in all people and as a result some individuals can and do experience change in same-sex attractions and behavior. Those who disagree with us on this too often speak for us in ways that intentionally or unintentionally mischaracterize what we believe and how we practice.”

“So let me try to briefly to set the record straight.”

• “We do not believe everyone experiences change.”
• “We do not believe you can simply pray away the gay.”
• “We do not believe that same-sex attractions are typically experienced as a choice.”
• “We do not believe that anyone should be coerced into any form of psychological care.”
• “We do not believe that professionally conducted psychological care for unwanted same-sex attractions and behavior poses a risk of harm to our clients beyond what is common to psychotherapy in general.”

• “We do believe that some people can and do experience change on a continuum of change that they find satisfying and beneficial.”
• “We do believe that standard psychological techniques and insights can assist some individuals in experiencing change.”
• “We do believe that many conditions that are not consciously chosen, nevertheless, can be changed for some with conscious effort, including same-sex attractions.”
• “We do believe that people with unwanted same-sex attractions and behaviors have the right to self-determination and autonomous decision making in pursuing goals that match their values, their aspirations and their beliefs about the true nature of their personhood.”

“NARTH exists as the only association explicitly dedicated to the preservation of the rights of clients to pursue change in same-sex attractions and behavior, as well as the rights of therapists to provide such care.”

“We understand the strategy of those who oppose our presence. They calculate that if untruths are repeated loudly and often enough in the public square, many people unfamiliar with us will come to believe the rhetoric that we are gay-hating counselors who engage in harmful quackery, or self-haters whose reports of change are either delusions or outright lies.”

“What then possesses me and my fellow panelists to subject ourselves to such treatment? We will earn no awards or accolades from professional mental health associations.” …

“We are here because we believe it is our moral and ethical duty to protect the rights and futures of those who struggle with unwanted same-sex attractions and behaviors. Despite the potential cost, we simply cannot participate in the cultural and professional suppression of the truth that wants the public to believe that change can never occur.”

“We believe that the science surrounding controversial issues is compromised when professional associations that claim to value diversity would rather marginalize than listen to alternative voices. Let me provide just two brief examples” … (You Tube video link)