Israel’s Ministry of Health issued a public warning Sunday against so-called conversion therapies which claim to convert homosexuals into heterosexuals. The ministry noted that there is no evidence conversion therapy works while there is evidence that it likely causes harm.
Above: Yael German
Israel’s Ministry Of Health Comes Out – Against Conversion Therapy
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
Israel’s Ministry of Health issued a public warning Sunday against so-called conversion therapies which claim to convert homosexuals into heterosexuals, Ha'aretz reported. The ministry noted that there is no evidence conversion therapy works while there is evidence that it likely causes harm.
“Therapists using this method create a false impression of scientific recognition of this method, although in practice there is no research evidence of the success of any such method for possible conversion and there is even evidence of possible damage,” the ministry said in a decision signed by Health Minister Yael German which echoes the position of the Council of Psychologists and the Israel Psychological Association.
“This is further proof that natural sexual orientation is not something that can or should be changed. Sexual orientation is part of a person’s identity, and doesn’t need ‘treatment’ or ‘conversion,’” German wrote.
Both the Council of Psychologists and the Israel Psychological Association reportedly published a joint position paper in November 2011 against conversion therapy. That paper was finally accepted by the Ministry of Health’s professional staff in June of this year.
The joint position paper notes that conversion therapy is unethical and unprofessional.
“The impression is that most practitioners of conversion therapy are not members of the recognized mental health professions: psychologists, social workers, or psychiatrists. In the absence of a law on psychotherapy, treatment in such a complex and sensitive field by uncertified ‘therapists’ is neither ethically nor professionally acceptable, and the public must be warned,” the joint paper insisted.
Orthodox gay organizations were reportedly happy that the Ministry of Health issued the ruling.
“The work is still great, because teens and young adults continue to suffer at the hands of therapists who are not certified professionals,” Rabbi Ron Yosef, head of the gay Orthodox organization Hod, told Ha’aretz.
The Orthodox gay organization Hevruta issued a statement is support of the Ministry of Health’s ruling.
“It behooves us to stress and to warn that many of our members bear the emotional scars of such ‘treatments,’ particularly those taking place under the auspices of the Atzat Nefesh organization. Not a single one of our hundreds of members succeeded in changing their sexual orientation, even though a large portion of us have battled with all our might against our sexual tendencies. Those suggesting to our boys that they try conversion therapy are paving for them a path of suffering so that they can discover something that we at Hevruta already know: It’s just not possible,” Hevruta’s statement reportedly said.
Leading Zionist Orthodox Rabbi Shlomo Aviner is an active supporter of Atzat Nefesh, which does conversion therapy and which is blamed by many gays for causing them damage.
Aviner insisted that the Atzat Nefesh help line refers people “only to professionals,” and he lashed out at the Ministry of Health’s decision.
“I know many, many people who have been treated. What, they don’t exist?” Aviner asked, adding that he believed the Ministry of Health’s decision was political. “Any psychological treatment can do harm if it’s not done properly. Of course it must be done professionally. But sometimes I suspect that there are decisions that are political decisions,” Aviner told Ha’aretz.
Despite Aviner’s claim, there is no scientific evidence that conversion therapy works and the success stories it touts are frequently of men who continue to have homosexual liaisons but hide that from the public – and from conversion therapy proponents like Aviner.