The Straight Line: How the Fringe Science of Ex-Gay Therapy Reoriented Sexuality

332 Pages·2015·5.065 MB·English

by  Tom Waidzunas

THE STRAIGHT LINE
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THE STRAIGHT LINE
How the Fringe Science of
Ex-G ay Therapy Reoriented Sexuality
TOM WAIDZUNAS
University of Minnesota Press
Minneapolis | London
Portions of the Introduction were previously published as Tom J. Waidzunas,
“Intellectual Opportunity Structures and Science- Targeted Activism: Influence
of the Ex- Gay Movement on the Science of Sexual Orientation,” Mobilization:
An International Journal 18, no. 1 (2013): 1– 18; reprinted with permission of
Mobilization: An International Journal.
Copyright 2015 by the Regents of the University of Minnesota
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the publisher.
Published by the University of Minnesota Press
111 Third Avenue South, Suite 290
Minneapolis, MN 55401- 2520
http://www.upress.umn.edu
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Waidzunas, Tom, author.
The straight line : how the fringe science of ex-gay therapy reoriented
sexuality / Tom Waidzunas.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8166-9614-7 (hc)—ISBN 978-0-8166-9615-4 (pb)
1. Sexual reorientation programs—United States—History. 2. Ex-gay
movement—United States—History. 3. Homosexuality—United States—
History. 4. Gays—United States—History. I. Title.
HQ76.3.U5W35 2015
306.76'60973—dc23 2015026526
Printed in the United States of America on acid- free paper
The University of Minnesota is an equal- opportunity educator and employer.
21 20 19 18 17 16 15 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For all people who have ever struggled
with conflict over sexual orientation
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CONTENTS
Introduction: The Shifting Straight Line 1
1 The Reorientation Regime: 35
Therapeutic Techniques in an Anti- Homosexual Era, 1948– 1972
2 The Evolution of Dr. Robert Spitzer: 67
The Rise of Gay- Affirmative Therapies, 1970– 2003
3 Ex- Ex- Gays Match Testimony with Testimony, 2004– 2007 113
4 Reorientation’s Last Stand: 149
Showdown at the American Psychological Association
5 A National Movement against “Homos”: 185
How Reorientation Concepts Traveled to Uganda, 2009– 2014
Conclusion: Sexuality Is a Matter of Perspective 231
Acknowledgments 255
Methodological Appendix 257
Notes 263
Index 309
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introduction
THE SHIFTING STRAIGHT LINE
The waiting room of the Thomas Aquinas Psychological Clinic seems
like that of many other mental health facilities in the United States. The
decor is calming, and magazines and comfortable seating are provided.
A cordial receptionist sits at a window where clients sign in. Despite
the rather ordinary and professional character of the office, the thera-
peutic work done at this facility has attracted much heated protest and
scientific condemnation. Here in Encino, California, Dr. Joseph Nicolosi
and his colleagues perform “reparative therapy” with men seeking to
rid themselves of “unwanted same- sex attractions” and unleash their
“heterosexual potential.” Nicolosi, author of books on the treatment and
prevention of homosexuality, is white, heterosexual, of middle age and
Catholic faith, and has an animated speaking style.1 A leader in the re-
orientation world, he exudes confidence despite fervent opposition by
all mainstream mental health organizations in the United States, which
have discredited sexual orientation change attempts as ineffective and
potentially harmful. Back in 1992, Nicolosi helped found the organi-
zation NARTH, the National Association for Research and Therapy of
Homosexuality, which acts as the leading science-e ngaged organiza-
tion within the predominantly religious ex- gay movement in the United
States. Despite the professional marginalization of reorientation prac-
tices, Nicolosi’s website notes his many public media appearances, in-
cluding The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Phil, Dr. James Dobson’s Focus on
the Family radio show, the “Dr. Drew” show, and BBC News, signifying
his continuing influence in U.S. culture.2
In 2009 I visited the Aquinas Clinic to learn more about this particu-
lar facet of the ex-g ay world. Reparative therapy at this treatment center
primarily consists of talk therapy, in addition to group sessions. I had
1