PFOX - Arlington School Settlement

Comment posted regarding Daily Press article Group promoting gay 'conversion' settles with Arlington schools:

We've known for more than thirty years now that environmental factors (upbringing) has no bearing on adult sexual orientation and no environmental influences (therapy) can change this inborn characteristic.

Those who promote the "change is possible" mantra through reparative or conversion "therapy" only seek to have those who have same sex attractions deny and repress these natural feelings to conform to their repressive religious beliefs about homosexuality.

These psychologically dysfunctional approaches to same sex attractions can lead to depression, anxiety, and self-destructive behaviors including suicide, especially in school aged children. Due to the harm that almost always results, these "therapies" are highly condemned by all major medical and mental health organizations.

As a former APA member (ret), who has had to repair the damage that these "therapies" do, I would highly recommend that the false hope that "change is possible" not be promoted in the first place, certainly not to children, who are most vulnerable and naive about the harmful effects that these treatments produce.