Homosexuality and Pathology in the US

Origins of the disease model in psychotherapy and religion and critical evaluation of sexual orientation change efforts

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Drama, Anthologies
Cover of the book Homosexuality and Pathology in the US by Oliver Than, GRIN Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Oliver Than ISBN: 9783640685806
Publisher: GRIN Publishing Publication: August 20, 2010
Imprint: GRIN Publishing Language: English
Author: Oliver Than
ISBN: 9783640685806
Publisher: GRIN Publishing
Publication: August 20, 2010
Imprint: GRIN Publishing
Language: English

Seminar paper from the year 2010 in the subject American Studies - Culture and Applied Geography, grade: 1.0, University of Duisburg-Essen (Institut für Anglophone Kulturen), course: Gay, Lesbian and Queer Literature from the 19th century to the present, language: English, abstract: For almost four decades now organized mental health has declassified homosexuality as a mental illness in the United States of America. After several years of bitter dispute, the American Psychiatric Association decided to remove homosexuality as a mental disorder from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatric Disorders, its official list of mental diseases. Nevertheless it is remarkable that a demise of therapies designed to change homosexual orientation seems improbable at least, given that some religious political activists and marginalized health professionals are apparently seeking to reinstate the disease-model of homosexuality by presenting stories of presumably cured homosexuals to the American public. Aside the professional media, especially religious groups promoting sexual orientation change therapies recently experienced unwanted popular media coverage.The treatment of homosexualityby medical practitioners is of relatively recent origin. Before 1800, homosexuality was essentially conceived as a merely theological-moral phenomenon. From then onward however, legislative declared it a legal matter until medical professionals declared it a sickness. While at it's time of origin, the medical practitioners' concept of homosexuality as a sickness may have been a liberal and humaneadvance over the conception and punishment of homosexuality as a crime, at the latest since the post World-War II years, psychiatrists andpsychologists can be regarded among the major ideologues of homosexual oppression. Sexual conversion therapies or reparative therapies derive from this disease model portraying homosexuality as a mental disorder and a social evil. Since these terms in my opinion inaccurately imply defectiveness in homosexuality and bisexuality, I chose to refer to such therapy as sexual orientation change efforts in the title of this paper. Today the main groups pursuing these kinds of therapies are the before-mentioned marginalized psychotherapists and conservative Christians. This paper will consecutively show that this kind of therapy should not in any way be influential to the development of public policy since the very origins of the disease model are based on badly flawed assumptions. It will subsequently critically evaluate sexual orientation change efforts in general, addressing several issues as its effectiveness, potential harmfulness and its effect on the public view of lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Seminar paper from the year 2010 in the subject American Studies - Culture and Applied Geography, grade: 1.0, University of Duisburg-Essen (Institut für Anglophone Kulturen), course: Gay, Lesbian and Queer Literature from the 19th century to the present, language: English, abstract: For almost four decades now organized mental health has declassified homosexuality as a mental illness in the United States of America. After several years of bitter dispute, the American Psychiatric Association decided to remove homosexuality as a mental disorder from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatric Disorders, its official list of mental diseases. Nevertheless it is remarkable that a demise of therapies designed to change homosexual orientation seems improbable at least, given that some religious political activists and marginalized health professionals are apparently seeking to reinstate the disease-model of homosexuality by presenting stories of presumably cured homosexuals to the American public. Aside the professional media, especially religious groups promoting sexual orientation change therapies recently experienced unwanted popular media coverage.The treatment of homosexualityby medical practitioners is of relatively recent origin. Before 1800, homosexuality was essentially conceived as a merely theological-moral phenomenon. From then onward however, legislative declared it a legal matter until medical professionals declared it a sickness. While at it's time of origin, the medical practitioners' concept of homosexuality as a sickness may have been a liberal and humaneadvance over the conception and punishment of homosexuality as a crime, at the latest since the post World-War II years, psychiatrists andpsychologists can be regarded among the major ideologues of homosexual oppression. Sexual conversion therapies or reparative therapies derive from this disease model portraying homosexuality as a mental disorder and a social evil. Since these terms in my opinion inaccurately imply defectiveness in homosexuality and bisexuality, I chose to refer to such therapy as sexual orientation change efforts in the title of this paper. Today the main groups pursuing these kinds of therapies are the before-mentioned marginalized psychotherapists and conservative Christians. This paper will consecutively show that this kind of therapy should not in any way be influential to the development of public policy since the very origins of the disease model are based on badly flawed assumptions. It will subsequently critically evaluate sexual orientation change efforts in general, addressing several issues as its effectiveness, potential harmfulness and its effect on the public view of lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

More books from GRIN Publishing

Cover of the book Bauleitplanung - Erläuterung der Themen 'Baugesetzbuch', 'Landesbauordnung', 'Flächennutzungsplan' und 'Landschaftsplan' by Oliver Than
Cover of the book 'Madonna On the Couch' by Oliver Than
Cover of the book The Right to Fair Trial under Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights in Immigration Law Cases in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Turkey by Oliver Than
Cover of the book A Contrastive Analysis of the English and the German Sound System by Oliver Than
Cover of the book Northern Ireland in the 1980s by Oliver Than
Cover of the book Die Unternehmenskommunikation von Siemens im Zusammenhang mit der Insolvenz von BenQ by Oliver Than
Cover of the book International Trade and the Role of the State in Development by Oliver Than
Cover of the book 'Supporting Diversity - Strengthening Cohesion' - Multiculturalism in Germany by Oliver Than
Cover of the book How do breast cancer mortality rates differ between women who are screened annually and biennially by mammography? by Oliver Than
Cover of the book On Beardsley's view of the artistic process by Oliver Than
Cover of the book Can agriculture be sustainable in its present industrial and high tech form or must it 'return to the past'? by Oliver Than
Cover of the book Apple's Growth in Chinese Market by Oliver Than
Cover of the book The origins and evolution of human language by Oliver Than
Cover of the book 'Debt is bad' - A refutation by Oliver Than
Cover of the book Die Entstehung der mittelalterlichen deutschen Universität by Oliver Than
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy