from Political News

Reparative Therapy Foe Running
For APA Presidency

November 15 - Dr. Jack Drescher, a gay psychiatrist and head of the American Psychiatric Association's Committee on Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Issues is running for the presidency of the APA for 2006.

Dr. Drescher has been a vocal opponent of reparative therapy and ex-gay ministries such as Exodus International and PFOX. He has said of ex-gay ministries, "They can mask it in the language of love all they want, but it's about revulsion and hatred of homosexuality."

Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International said that Drescher's election as APA president could mean dark days ahead. According to Chambers, "I'm very concerned that our culture is being fed misinformation and that people are reacting in a way that is detrimental to our religious liberties. Today he's equating reparative therapy and a client's right to self-determination with a quack cure for homosexuality, which is absolutely not true."

APA member, Dr. Peter Hill has noted that the APA president can't single-handedly ban reparative therapy, but "he will have much influence on what actually gets out to the floor and how it's being presented to the council of reps."