Let's Not Talk About It

From the Washington Times:

By Julia Duin - The American Psychiatric Association suddenly canceled an upcoming workshop on religion and homosexuality during its annual conference here after gay activists campaigned against the two evangelicals slated to appear on the panel.

Planners of the symposium, "Homosexuality and Therapy: The Religious Dimension," originally slated for 2 to 5 p.m. Monday at the Washington Convention Center, at first ignored calls from some gays to cancel the event.

But when its star panelist, the openly gay New Hampshire Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson, dropped out last week, plans for the symposium collapsed amid an avalanche of criticism from gays.

"It was a way to have a balanced discussion about religion and how it influences therapy," said David Scasta, a former APA president and a gay psychiatrist in charge of assembling the panel. "We wanted to talk rationally, calmly and respectfully to each other, but the external forces made it into a divisive debate it never intended to be."

An April 24 article on www.gaycitynews.com called the event "junk science on stage" and "psychiatrists allow ex-gay end run." A Wednesday piece in the Washington Blade, a gay newspaper, said the panel could legitimize "homophobic views."

There are thousands and thousands of happy and content gays who would have no interest in "leaving the lifestyle" I'm sure, and I have no problem with that. I understand that their happiness and quality of life doesn't negate the joy and legitimacy of my life--and vice versa.

But you've got to suspect why some can't abide even the possibility of discussing ex-gay lives and views. You've got to wonder why they not only can't tolerate the idea, but neither can they tolerate others' tolerance of it.

They can throw out marginalizing terms all they want, they can pretend their views are grounded in hard-and-fast science if they need to. None of that changes the fact that people who struggle with homosexuality don't have to embrace it. They can live differently, love differently, and find happiness and wholeness on another path. People can and people do. That's all I need to know.

If there are some folks who need to censor, stigmatize, call names--that only leads me to ask, who are they really trying to convince? My guess: themselves.

Hat tip: Doc Throck