zgay73

I watched a film recently called Boy Erased which confronts the practise of conversion therapy. For those that haven't heard this term before, it's the practise of converting a person's sexuality from bi/homosexual to heterosexual using religion as a means to "re-educate" the individual. I thought this "therapy" had died out many years ago but it seems it's still alive and well, practised in 38 states in America if I remember rightly. Parents send their children to these "clinics" where men with no formal training, qualifications or real experience "treat" them. It was quite shocking on a number of levels, the fanaticism level of those preaching their religious rhetoric and the fact that parents would trust the physical and mental well-being of their children with these nut cases.

The movie made a number of claims that bisexuality and homosexuality are choices. It uses the metaphor that no one is born a footballer, they learn to be a footballer so therefore no one is born bisexual or homosexual, it's their upbringing and family life that cause it. You may not be born a footballer, but you may be born genetically "gifted" to be predisposed to be good at sport and therefore become a footballer so whilst you weren't born to be a sports person your genetics may lead you there. The choice for them is whether or not they want to play football regardless if they're good at it or not. I feel for me, this is the same when it comes to my sexuality. I believe my genetics predisposed me to same sex attraction and the only choice I had was to whether or not to accept it and act upon it. For many years I would not accept it, I pushed it to the back of my mind but genetics are a hard thing to fight. I didn't learn to have same sex tendencies nor did anyone make me have them. I just had them and I had them from as early as I can remember.

In NZ, conversion therapy costs $200+ per hour according to the article I found and is still legal. The government had looked at banning it but thought this would be a ban on religious freedom and it seems protecting the rights of the individual never came in to the decision making process. Children are often sent to these "camps" against their will. I find this appalling for a country that is supposed to be a world leader in LGTBQ rights. I personally believe it should be banned! It's claiming there is something wrong with being bisexual or homosexual but there is nothing wrong with being either. It's nature.

Had my parents sent me to one of these camps when I was growing up had they ever had an inclining of my true sexuality it would not have worked one iota. Preaching the bible to me would have the opposite effect, you'd be better of hitting me with it. It seems for this to work, the individual must have a strong religious upbringing so that can then be used against them. I did not have this and besides, my parents, whilst I'd believe they'd be disappointed to have a bisexual son, would never had entertained such a barbaric idea. As an adult, there's simply no chance I'd ever consider it. I'm not broken! I'm bisexual!

Unfortunately for the teenage boy in the movie, his parents weren't as liberal as mine and sent them to one such camp when he finally had the courage to tell them he was gay, I wish I had that courage. Did it work? No. He left. He saw it for what it really was, a sham and an expensive one at that. The toll it takes on the boys in the movie is obvious, with one committing suicide after he was beaten by his parents with a bible after falling for temptation. This camp did not allow pornography, physical touching or masturbation but it's not made clear which temptation he fell for. I'm particularly screwed on that last one, they'd definitely get me on it. The movie had quite an ironic ending with the leader of the camp leaving and moving to another state to live with his husband. Yes, it was a true story and for the teenage boy, he confronted his father a few years later with an ultimatum, except him for who he is, a gay man or not be a part of his life. His father chose to try and accept his child instead of never seeing him again.

How would have you felt had your parents sent you to conversion therapy? Would've it worked? Should it be banned?

I once asked a question on the forums that if you were able to take a pill to become straight, would you? I said I wouldn't. I still wouldn't. It's taken me a long time to see that I'm not broken. I'm just different.... but really am I that different? How many have buried such feelings and desires like I had over the years? As humans we form close relationships all the time with the same sex, how many would have the potential of turning in to something else if there wasn't anything metaphysical or societal to stop us? I guess we'll never know. I often feel that the only difference between many men and I is that I have accepted and embraced my same sex attraction and that this attraction may be quite a bit stronger. Some people believe that everyone is innately bisexual, I'm starting to subscribe to that notion, controversial as it is, but that's a blog for another time.