Gay Conversion Therapy Founder Gets News From Son: "I'm Gay"

Impact

Meet Richard Socarides. He's an attorney, writer, commentator and he's also worked as a senior adviser for President Clinton. He also happens to be gay. Although coming out is never easy, it's a very difficult task when your dad is Dr. Charles Socarides, the founder of the horrific gay conversion therapies that aim to "cure" homosexuals. Richard explains that after he came out to his father, their relationship changed forever.

"I sat down and said, 'Dad, I think this is something we’ve known for some time together, but I’m gay and we have to find a way to be more honest with each other about this.' He was angry, but he certainly wasn’t surprised and angry, and he was kind of a little surprised. So I kind of said I’m going to give you some time to think about it, to take this one, and I left. It did not last a long time and it did not have a good ending, at that moment."

The idea that you can cure homosexuality is as much factually incorrect as it is offensive.  Studies show that orientation cannot be changed and that attempts to do so are extremely harmful. Human Rights Campaign reports that LGBT youth that are rejected by their family or friends are much more vulnerable because of that non-acceptance. Those that experience rejection are:

What do you think? Let me know on Twitter: @feministabulous