North Texas Skeptic - Vol 21 No 04 - 2007

Magazine Overview

The North Texas Skeptic, Volume 21, Number 4, published in April 2007, is a science and skepticism-focused magazine from The North Texas Skeptics organization. The issue features a prominent cover story titled "Pray Away the Gay? No Way!" by Kristine Danowski, which critically examines "reparative therapy" and related practices aimed at changing sexual orientation.

Pray Away the Gay? No Way! (Part I)

Kristine Danowski's article addresses the phenomenon of "reparative therapy," "conversion therapy," or "sexual reorientation therapy," which claims to change homosexual individuals into heterosexuals. The author asserts that this practice is "quackery and fraud at best and life endangerment at worst." The article distinguishes between "reparative therapy," which often involves conservative Christian practitioners, and "transformational ministry," which is overtly religious. Danowski argues that these practitioners resemble faith healers more than genuine mental health providers.

The article emphasizes that homosexuality was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1973 and is not considered a mental illness by major professional organizations such as the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association. These organizations have issued statements affirming the diversity of human sexual orientation.

Danowski critiques the underlying ideas of reparative therapy, which she states have no scientific evidence and were first popularized by Dr. Elizabeth Moberly. These ideas include the notion that lesbians and gay men have "defensive detachment" from the opposite gender due to unhappy childhoods, that gender rejection leads to same-sex attraction, that gay individuals are inherently heterosexual but require "assistance" to discover their "inner straight person," and that same-sex friendships are inordinately sexualized due to improper childhood socialization.

The article refutes these claims, pointing out that many gay individuals have happy childhoods and loving parents. It also criticizes the rigid gender stereotypes promoted by reparative therapy and denies that gay people cannot be happy or secure in their sexuality, citing the existence of long-lasting gay and lesbian relationships.

Reparative therapy techniques are described as a "menagerie of pseudopsychology and unproven and discredited modalities," including aversion therapy (e.g., snapping rubber bands), attempts to extol the virtues of heterosexuality, and warnings about the supposed dangers of homosexuality (AIDS, pedophilia, substance abuse). Practitioners also aim to isolate clients from supportive networks and use distractions like prayer or dieting. Other bizarre techniques mentioned include exorcism, regression therapy, intrauterine/fetal trauma resolution, non-sexual touch, recovery of repressed memories, and "newagey bioenergetics."

The article identifies four types of "victims" of ex-gay therapy: adolescents coerced by parents, individuals raised in fundamentalist homes who have internalized negativity, extremely self-loathing religious gay men, and self-destructive gays with serious mental illness or substance abuse disorders. The author concludes that while these individuals are immediate victims, "We are all the long-term victims."

Events Calendar

The issue includes an "Events Calendar" for April 2007, featuring two upcoming events:

• April Program: Saturday, April 21, 2007, at 2 p.m., at the Center for Nonprofit Management in Dallas. NTS president John Brandt will give a talk titled "Biotechnology for Dummies," discussing how this field has explained life processes scientifically.
• NTS Social Dinner: Saturday, April 28, 2007, at 7 p.m., at Good Eats in Dallas. Attendees are asked to RSVP.

Contact information for the NTS Hotline (214-335-9248) is provided for more information.

Officers and Board of Directors

The magazine lists the officers of The North Texas Skeptics, including John Brandt (President), Kristine Danowski (Vice President), Mike Selby (Secretary), and Mark Meyer (Treasurer). It also lists the Staff (Newsletter Editor, Webmaster, Meetings and Social Director) and the Board of Directors, comprising numerous individuals.

Scientific and Technical Advisors

A list of Scientific and Technical Advisors is provided, including academics and professionals in fields such as Philosophy, Sociology, Medicine, Science Teaching, Counseling, Engineering, and Law.

Organization Information

The North Texas Skeptics is identified as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) scientific and educational organization. Members receive the newsletter and other mailings. The newsletter is published monthly and the mailing address is P.O. Box 111794, Carrollton, Texas 75011-1794. Permission to reprint articles is granted under specific conditions.

Web News: Discovery Institute at SMU

This section, written by John Blanton, discusses the controversy surrounding the Discovery Institute's conference titled "Darwin vs. Intelligent Design" held at Southern Methodist University (SMU). The article notes that this is a return of creationist-affiliated events to SMU, following a similar event in 1992.

The SMU Biology Department formally expressed its "strong opposition" to the conference. The department's letter, reproduced in the magazine, argues that the Discovery Institute promotes "pseudoscience" and seeks to discredit evolutionary thought using faith-based objections, rather than scientific evidence. The letter cites U.S. Federal Court rulings that have rejected creation science and "Intelligent Design" as science, emphasizing that "creationism has no place in any science curriculum at any level."

The article explains the scientific approach, emphasizing observation, reason, data interpretation, and hypothesis testing, contrasting it with pseudoscience. It highlights that evolutionary thought is fundamental to biological sciences and is a major theme in SMU's curriculum. The Biology Department views the conference as a "propaganda platform" for the Discovery Institute's "5-year plan" to end "scientific materialism," rather than a genuine scientific debate.

The conference was scheduled for April 13-14 in McFarlin Auditorium at SMU in Dallas, TX.

Skeptic Ink

This section features a comic strip by Prasad Golla and John Blanton. The first panel shows survivors crediting God for saving them. The second panel suggests that "unseen forces govern our lives," and the third panel shows caricatures of the President of the United States and Osama bin Laden, implying they believe in unseen forces.

The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of the Paranormal

This section describes the mission of The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of the Paranormal (CSIP), which encourages the "critical investigation of paranormal and fringe-science claims from a responsible, scientific point of view." It disseminates factual information and promotes science, scientific inquiry, critical thinking, and the use of reason.

It also mentions that "The Skeptical Inquirer" is published bimonthly by CSIP and provides subscription information and a website address (http://www.csicop.org).

Bibliography

A bibliography is provided, listing several publications and resources related to homosexuality, sexual orientation, and the "ex-gay" movement, including:

• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Third Edition – Revised)
• American Psychiatric Association Position Statements on Sexual Orientation and Reparative Therapies
• American Psychological Association Resolution on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation
• Wayne R. Besen's "Anything But Straight. Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth."
• ExGayWatch website
• Just the Facts Coalition publications
• Eric Marcus's "Is It A Choice?"
• Sexuality Information & Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) Fact Sheet

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the critique of pseudoscience and its infiltration into public discourse, particularly concerning "reparative therapy" and the intelligent design movement. The editorial stance is clearly pro-science, skeptical of claims lacking empirical evidence, and supportive of established scientific consensus, especially regarding human sexuality. The magazine actively promotes critical thinking, scientific inquiry, and the separation of science from religious dogma, as evidenced by its strong opposition to the Discovery Institute's conference at SMU and its detailed debunking of "ex-gay" practices.