I wish to congratulate JJ Ray for her article entitled Stigma persists for gay community . In her article, Ray points out how a major English daily newspaper in Malaysia had recently published four pages of articles on homosexuality .
Not only did those articles in that daily not include opinions from well-established psychologists and psychiatrists, they attempted to cast doubts on the professionalism of a major professional body, the American Psychiatric Association (APA).
Important scientific studies such as those of Hooker in 1957 and numerous other studies which lead to the stance of APA were not mentioned. It is important to note that other world bodies like the World Health Organisation followed suit (in deciding that homosexuality was not a disorder) based on scientific studies.
Further, the articles sought to promote a myth about a 'cause' for homosexuality - a myth which has been debunked by a large scale study as early as in 1981 but this was again ignored. The articles confuses gender identity with sexual orientation, which are distinct entities.
On top of that, the articles presented a study by Spitzer as though it was a proof of the 'efficacy' of 'reparative therapy' (to change homosexuals into heterosexuals). It did not mention what the author himself (Spitzer) has conceded, i.e. that the results could be a result of elaborate lies because nothing was carried out to verify the authenticity of the reports and that the research methodology was not designed to show causality.
The articles ignored all critical appraisals of the study. In fact, the Spitzer study has been heavily criticised for being too flawed to be published, and was likely to do harm besides being irresponsible and unscientific.
It appears that in the articles, it is a sign of 'success' for a gay man to get married with a woman and have children. The articles assume that a gay man getting married to a woman and having children is akin to him 'becoming straight'.
It, therefore, fails to understand the meaning of sexual orientation. It fails to recognise that if a man still desires for homosexual sex and gets married, it is a mixed orientation marriage which is very different from a 'regular' heterosexual marriage.
Typically, because of multiple pressures, some gay people do enter into marriage with people of the opposite sex. However, these encounter multiple problems - sometimes after decades - which seriously affect not only the gay man but his wife and children who 'thought' that he had 'changed'.
The articles also did not point out that numerous people who have tried to undergo some form of 'therapy' to change their sexual orientation were indeed psychologically harmed and required years to recuperate from the effects of the 'therapy'.
It failed to mention that such 'therapy' is considered ineffective, potentially harmful and unethical not only by APA but also the Surgeon-General of the United States, the American Psychological Association, the American Medical Association, the American Psychoanalytic Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Association of School Psychologists, the National Association of Social Workers, and the American Counseling Association.
These dubious 'therapy' movements, which are losing its credibility in the West, are exposed in a book by Besen WR . They are now trying to prey on developing countries where ethical considerations are less stringent.
While it is a lesson for the public in Malaysia to verify whatever they read in the newspapers before believing what they read, it is in the essential that accurate scientific information be provided in newspaper articles.
The distortion of scientific information solely to promote a particular organisation is deplorable. Perhaps it is time to ask if there are ethical codes which the Malaysian press must adhere to. This is important in order not to lead unsuspecting people into personal and social hardships.
