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from Social Issues
On the APA Endorsement Of Gay Marriage
by Frank York
July 29, 2004 - National Association for Research and Therapy of
Homosexuality (NARTH) President Joseph Nicolosi and Linda Nicolosi, co-authors
of A Parent's Guide To Preventing Homosexuality, have expressed concern over the
American Psychological Association's recent endorsement of gay marriage.
The American Psychological Association issued its endorsement of gay marriage,
foster parenting, and gay adoptions at its conference in Hawaii on July 29.
The APA's endorsement was based on recommendations from the APA's Working Group
on Same-Sex Families and Relationships, a group of gay and lesbian clinicians
who have been prominent in gay causes.
Dr. Nicolosi noted that although the APA considers itself a scientific
organization, "They've let political activists take over the APA, and they are
giving us their own, values-laden 'take' on the issues."
Nicolosi observed that because the APA has started out "with the foundational
belief that there's no real difference between the genders, then mothers and
fathers start to look interchangeable. With such a worldview, gay and straight
relationships look the same; then gay marriage starts to look as if it were no
different from the natural, biological family."
But the APA's foundational beliefs are flawed, says Nicolosi. "And, when the
research comes in--as indeed it has--showing gays and lesbians to be less
psychologically healthy than straights, then the APA simply dismisses it, saying
that the psychological problems are due to society's homophobia."
NARTH Publications Director Linda Nicolosi is equally troubled by the APA's
endorsement of gay marriage and believes the APA should openly define what it
means by "healthy sexuality," "healthy families," "healthy development," and
"self-actualization."
She notes, "Without agreement on these basic terms, what we have is one
philosophical camp--the APA--disagreeing with another philosophical camp, the
traditionalists. But the irony is, the APA gets to have the unfair advantage of
calling itself 'scientific' while the other side is labeled 'religious.' In
reality, the APA is recommending nothing more than its own secular humanist
worldview--a worldview that most of America simply doesn't share."
"Nobody to Give the Other Viewpoint"
Robert Spitzer, M.D. -- longtime prominent member of the American Psychiatric
Association, and a strong ally of gay activists -- says his own organization,
the American Psychiatric Association, won't likely change its views on gay
issues and reorientation therapy.
"There's a gay-activist group that's very strong and very vocal and recognized
officially by the American Psychiatric Association...there's nobody to give the
other viewpoint...There may be a few people...but they don't talk."
(Quoted in the 2004 video, "I Do Exist")
Dr. Nicolosi and Dr. A Dean Byrd are available for media interviews.
Updated: 3 September 2008
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