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THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SOCIETY of Ireland has said it is disappointed that there are still questions being raised in public forums about conversion therapies, a practice it says has no place in modern society.
The main representative body for psychologists in Ireland said it was issuing advice in light of recent public commentary on conversion therapy, which refers to any form of psychological intervention which aims to change a person’s sexual orientation.
The PSI President Ian O’Grady said that to call it ‘therapy’ is an affront to the work that psychologists do and “adds a layer of validity to it that’s not deserved”.
It’s disappointing that there are still questions being raised in public forums as to what the evidence for conversion therapy is when it is absolutely clear that there is no credible evidence and it should be confined to the annals of history as bad practice.
The PSI said there is clear and empirical evidence that conversion therapy does not work, and significant evidence that it is also inherently harmful. A position that is agreed by professional organisations worldwide Such as the United Nations Committee Against Torture as well as the European Parliament.
O’Grady said in a statement that the practice or even endorsement of conversion therapy gives legitimacy to the notion that one’s sexual orientation is wrong and needs to be changed.
First and foremost, a person’s sexual orientation is not, and should not, be viewed as a mental health disorder that requires psychological intervention.
O’Grady added that there is significant evidence that societal prejudice causes psychological harm to the LGBT community.
“Our focus as a society should be on reducing prejudices and not on practices that have no evidence of benefit and have evidence of harm.”
Last week, Senator Rónán Mullen suggested in the Seanad that people should have the option to engage in conversion therapy unless it is proven to be harmful.
“I do not know enough about it at this stage but if it can be demonstrated that this is harmful to people, there is a very good case to make it unlawful. If it cannot be shown to be harmful to people, we are back into the realm of individual choice,” Mullen said.
Mullen said he was responding to the issue raised by Sinn Féin Senator Fintan Warfield who previously launched legislation to ban conversion therapy in Ireland.
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Even twát conversion therapies or is there no hope for Ronan Mullen?
@Darren Byrne: Conversion therapies have a certain amount of success, they should not be simply dismissed. They also work both ways.
@Martin Scaldbag: you mean if I’m straight, I could be gay after therapy? Good to know.
@Martin Scaldbag: There is no evidence of their success and a lot of evidence of the damage caused. Most of the proponents of the success of conversion therapy have later admitted they aren’t ‘cured’.
@Martin Scaldbag: Please cite proper medical research showing this – PR from scientologists does not apply.
@Tom Purcell: but if it works and can turn gay people into straight people by his logic it can turn scientologists into normal people. So maybe don’t discount it as scaldbag needs it
@Martin Scaldbag: G’way you absolute tool.
Get fu€ked Ronan
@Orla Smith: a man who helped bishops deal with child abuse cases, and keep them quiet, is not a man with a functioning moral compass
Well to be fair, is it not the case that most transgenders have body/gender dysphoria (ie a psychological illness). If so, then psychological therapy makes sense in some cases.
Conversion therapies for lesbian/gay/bi doesn’t make any sense though.
@_jamie: “mental health has no evidence base” – Ronan Mullen, May 2018
@_jamie: Ever consider that if we had a society less based in the prescriptive dictates of how we are ‘supposed’ to be and act in accordance with our ‘gender’ that less people would suffer from psychological distress at just being able to express themselves in open freedom.
@_jamie: Hey Jamie, stop making sensible and valid points!!!
@Karen Wellington: Well for one, if you’re going to transcribe a quote, at least make sure you do it correctly.
Secondly, like it or not, body dysphoria is a psychological condition.Trans people tend to have this condition. This is a fact.
I’m assuming you wouldn’t be against treating schizophrenia or depression or any other form of mental ailment? Why be against treating body dysphoria?
@Orla Smith: that is precisely what I would say to a vulnerable teenager, I would tell them that their self worth, value and Individuality to express their own sexuality is far more powerful than any words or opinions of Ronan Mullen. What I would not do is encourage them to be outraged, hysterical and calling for censorship which is what you are advocating.
@LD: Well it looks like I’ve been censored by Iona.
@Orla Smith: or perhaps you deleted the post so that more people wouldn’t see your blatant lie……
@LD: how do you delete posts in the Journal? Pretty sure you can’t.
@Orla Smith: not the only one Orla!
@Ailbhe: not entirely sure, I’ve never tried
@LD: I stand over my comment, pity it was reported. I told no lies. You are hysterical and seem extremely flustered.
@Orla Smith: You claimed that Mullen used the word disordered and then tried to back it up with an article that atrributes the quote to Mary McAuliffe. Fairly obvious if you bothered to look.
@LD: Do you normally get this upset when you come across people who disagree with your opinion? You seem very insecure. Advocating comversion therapy is no different to calling a condition disordered, you are being very pedantic for some strange reason.
@LD: you claimed she may have deleted her own comments. That’s not possible. Fairly obvious if you bothered to look….
@Orla Smith: ah now orla you did exaggerate the truth a wee bit
@Orla Smith: Not sure sure why you think I’m upset but I appreciate the concern. On the contrary Orla I actually believe we should all be entitled to our opinion. I have no disagreement with you on your opinion or your view of mine, both of which you are exclusively entitled to. My disagreement is with your tactic of misrepresenting people and then calling for censorship.
@Ailbhe: more’s the pity, you could make great use of the function
@LD: No need!
@Orla Smith: you were caught lying Mr Smith. Again.
Ah the usual posse of faceless twitter profiles to back a losing battle. I’d ask you all to get a life, but I strongly suspect for some of you, this is actually your job.
@Graham.Kavanagh: why don’t you go back to moaning about busses not showing up.
@Ailbhe: yes it is possible to remove your comment
Mullen is in denial
@DJ François: 100%, Absolutely no doubt.
Ronan mullen is being attacked for suggesting people should have a choice go figure
@bigjake: You actually believe being gay is a choice? You’re as bad as Mullen
@bigjake: No he’s not.
@bigjake: Oh fųck away off.
@bigjake: go figure?? FFS
Is gender transitioning not a form of conversion therapy? Are gay young adults being pressurised into transitioning because being trans is seen as more acceptable than gay?
@VMKilshaw: No
@VMKilshaw: No – there is no evidence of this.
@VMKilshaw: Nah, everyone for most part follows the crowd unless their own emotions changes the crowds they want to follow, thats how politics, fashions, art and music industry works???
@VMKilshaw: Not sure if tr0lling or serious… if serious I am very sorry for your family.
@VMKilshaw: look to countries where it’s acceptable to have a sex change but it’s unacceptable to be homosexual, and decide whether you think it’s gay conversion or not.
There is indeed evidence that indicates that children who are transed at a young age and desist, they grow up into homosexual adults.
@Tom Purcell: There is no evidence because the phenomenon of transgenderism is in it’s infancy and no stats have yet been produced.
@LD: Tell that to a vulnerable gay teenager listening to an Irish Senator saying they need conversion therapy to cure them of ‘the gay’. Turn the other cheek, some lad.
@Orla Smith: Did he actually use the word disordered or did you just decide to chuck that one in for effect. Seriously get a grip with your hyper nonsense. Having an opinion is not hate speech. Nobody is compelled to advocate for anybody else on the basis that otherwise this may hurt their feelings. The rights of gay people have thankfully significantly improved in this country and the views of some disparate senator is hardly a counter to that. If somebody wants to stand and shout at a wall you do not have any rights to stop them all you can do is turn the other cheek and carry on.
Would this be the same Psychological Society of Ireland that is still pushing the use of conversion therapy (ABA) against autistic children?
@Frank L. Ludwig: ABA is not conversion therapy and to compare the two displays your ignorance, malice or both.
@G Manning: Inform yourself. There is no difference between forcing a child to deny their own sexuality and forcing them to deny their own neurology.
@Frank L. Ludwig: sorry Frank but that’s simply not true and a wildly inappropriate comparison. The first is forcing someone to deny their sexual orientation the second aids in teaching someone to function in the world as it is. ABA isn’t the all encompassing panacea some of its strongest advocates push it as but it most certainly has a role, especially for younger people.
@G Manning: ABA forces the child to suppress their own neurology (and therefore their own identity) and pretend to be someone else, which by definition qualifies as a conversion therapy. It was even developed by the same person as the conversion therapy for homosexuals. You could start your education at http://franklludwig.com/aba.html where I addressed the most important points and provide a lot of useful links to demonstrate why ABA does irreparable harm.
@Frank L. Ludwig: so by your logic all education is forcing children to suppress their own neurology and no behaviour of anyone ever is something that would be better if it was ameliorated or otherwise changed. No. Also as an impartial source not sure your own website counts.
@Frank L. Ludwig: curiosity got the better of me, had to have a look. Got no further than your quote from the UN and opening paragraph. The former makes no mention of or even implies anything about ABA and the latter posits that ABA is put forward as a “cure” for autism which it is not and never has been.
@G Manning: While it doesn’t specifically mention ABA it certainly applies to it since it attempts to change the child’s neurology without any regards for their feelings, needs and emotional safety. If you want to ignore what I say about it, at least go to the ‘Further Reading’ section with links to several other resources, including a study that proves that ABA causes PTSD and a discussion of ABA survivors about their experiences. As for the problematic behaviours, these have causes, and ABA attempts to change these behaviours without addressing these causes.
@Frank L. Ludwig: not the place for a nuanced debate on this Frank but using a quote that has nothing to do with your topic and then quoting yourself does nothing to support your position. I’m no staunch ABA advocate but simply put you’re wrong on this and the nature of your own arguments and the extreme interpretation you make only further diminish your assertions.
@Darius Guppy: Therapy treats disorders. https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/senator-called-to-retaract-comments-on-gay-conversion-therapy-914277.html
@Orla Smith: I am no fan of Ronan Mullen, indeed I believe him to be vile, but did he say homosexuals were “disordered”?
Banning it? What, are we children?
@Marie Broomfield: No, we are protecting children. Can you not read?
@Orla Smith: so he didn’t say that? It is not helpful to willfully lie. There is enough evidence of appalling statements, by this odious little toad, without having to lie.
Apparently conversion therapy only works one way then.
@Laura Walsh: still he still keeps getting back to seanad!
@Orla Smith: I suppose he’s just using the official language of the church. That gay ppl are sexually and morally disordered. This is the church that ppl have their knickers in a twist over in North Dublin schools because a priest spread a load of bs about them not being able to celebrate Xmas. Disgusting institution.
Doesn’t that come from the US like Scientology and UFOlogy as well??
@Orla Smith: Is Ronan Mullen married?
conversion therapy bad, transitioning kids using hormone blockers and chemicals because the child decides they are something they are not. thats all good.
have your say