Can People Change from Gay to Straight?

Ex-Gay Reparative Therapy Exposed

Dr. Robert Spitzer's Research

Dr. Robert Spitzer is a psychiatrist who was instrumental in having homosexuality removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a mental illness back in the 1970s. Later, he studied people who said they had changed from gay to straight. His research has been used by the ex-gay movement as proof that people can change from gay to straight. But Dr. Spitzer does not agree with the claim and how his research is being used.

Dr. Salzer says, "He did a study in which he wanted to look at people who had said they had changed. He actively recruited people who had said that they had changed and reported on his findings. But what the Christian Right did was say, 'See you can change!' But it doesn’t really prove anything because everyone he recruited, he specifically recruited them through organizations like Exodus and NARTH. What they did was they misrepresented his data. And what he says in the film is that they misrepresented his data. They did that with a lot of research. There are a lot of scientists who are really irritated about their research being misrepresented. They have a history of misappropriating research for their purposes.

See Respect My Resarch for further examples of how the religious right has twisted scientific research to tout their own agenda.

Do more men or women want to become straight?

Dr. Salzer says, “There seems to be more men than women, but there is no shortage of women [in reparative therapy groups.] But she adds, “I think if you’re a fundamentalist and you think you might be gay and you are really highly motivated to not be gay, and to have a traditional life where you marry the opposite sex and have kids, I think it’s easier to pass if you’re a woman. I think it’s easier to go through the motions and be married to a man and have that traditional life you want. For the men it seems to be harder. For men I think their sexuality is much more at the forefront of the mind and their action on a daily basis. And I think women have a better ability to partake in sex that may not be particularly working for them.”

Find a Gay-Friendly Church

If you're a Christian who is struggling with your sexual orientation, finding a gay affirming church can help you reconcile your religion and your life. Here's a listing of gay-friendly churches.