In an op-ed published by the New York Times, Sam Brinton details the horrors he suffered while undergoing gay conversion therapy.
It happened in the early 2000s when Brinton was still in middle school in Florida. His parents, who were both Southern Baptist ministers, sent him to a “counselor” to be “cured” of his homosexuality.
Brinton recalls:
I sat on a couch over two years and endured emotionally painful sessions with a counselor. I was told that my faith community rejected my sexuality; that I was the abomination we had heard about in Sunday school; that I was the only gay person in the world; that it was inevitable I would get H.I.V. and AIDS.
But it didn’t end there.
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The therapist ordered me bound to a table to have ice, heat and electricity applied to my body. I was forced to watch clips on a television of gay men holding hands, hugging and having sex. I was supposed to associate those images with the pain I was feeling to once and for all turn me into a straight boy. In the end it didn’t work. But I would say that it did, just to make the pain go away.
Brinton’s experiences are not dissimilar from other survivors of conversion therapy. Earlier this month, pro wrestler Mike Parrow opened up about the bogus therapy he underwent in an appearance on Good Morning Britain.
Related: Newly out pro wrestler Mike Parrow: Conversion therapy made me realize I’m gay
“Being there, I realized I am gay and that is not going to change,” Parrow reflected. “Because one of [conversion therapy’s] premises is that it’s a choice. It’s not a choice. You’re born this way. So right there, that’s a flawed philosophy.”
Last May, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal to a California law banning therapists from trying to change a minor’s sexual orientation through conversion therapy, allowing the law to stand. While progress is certainly being made, Brinton says there is still much work to be done. At present, 41 states still allow conversion therapy.
“We must pass legislation to stop licensed therapists that seek to harm L.G.B.T.Q. youth with conversion therapy,” he writes. “Everyone should know that you can’t change what you never chose.”
Related: The most sickening, most horrifying account from inside a gay conversion therapy clinic yet
tommy4429
When hearing a story like this it is really too bad that all of the people involved are not sitting in prison, including his parents. Conversion tharapy is a fraud because there is nothing to cure. Sexual orientation is developed while in the womb and cannot be changed. They should all be charged with: assault, reckless endangerment and child abuse.
SiamSam
Many of us feel the same way about transgenderism, another “conversion therapy” that enjoys wholehearted support within the “LBGTQ community” despite the administration of sterility-causing hormone blockers to pre-pubescent children, irreversible amputations of sex organs and post-operative 40% suicide attempt rates. And some call it “progress.”
DCguy
Oh look, SiamSam, one of the screenames anti-lgbt troll Mo Bro uses is trying to defend abusive conversion therapy.
There isn’t an attack on lgbts that this account and it’s many screenames won’t support. Oh, and the way they keep trying to deflect ANY topic onto Hillary, Obama, Islam, or Transgenders is just getting sad and old…..like their favorite President.
SiamSam
@DCguy I like how I trigger you.
John121
Sam’s story is disproven FAKE NEWS. Here’s proof. He makes money fooling people. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx9A7L-bpZE
Wes
I agree with you, there is no reason to “fix” what isn’t broken. I work as a therapist and feel that this form of pseudo-therapy is nothing less than child abuse. I know that every (and I mean EVERY) major psychological organization associated with the practice of counseling has denounced this practice and they do not feel that “homosexuality” is an issue that even needs to darken the doorway of a therapist unless that child is having difficulty being bullied or are being poisoned by negative rhetoric about their homosexuality. There is even a growing legal movement in this country to make conversion therapy (which has been widely denounced as ineffective and psychologically harmful) illegal at least for minors. If a therapist attempts conversion therapy they could be censored by their licensure board and if the damage to a client is profound, they could loose their licensure. Thankfully, this is becoming a reality in more and more states.
Donston
SiamSam, it really does seem that all you do is post anti-gay and anti-trans things. It’s becoming obvious and old-hat at this point. There’s absolutely zero reason to bring up transitioning under a story about a middle school kid who was practically tortured by the school’s administration.
I have nuanced, sometimes contradictory opinions about sexuality and especially sense of gender and transitioning, because everyone’s psychology, situation and motivation is different. And I’m not entirely a supporter of the “born this way” theory. It can be the cases. But both orientation and sense of gender are sometimes a blend of physiology, psychology and environment. And that’s something that many cannot accept. However, while lifestyle, identity and what you do with your body are indeed choices your attractions, desires, arousals (which are three different things), romantic instincts, romantic satisfaction and sense of gender are simply not choices. Even most super religious people are aware of this, which is why most have moved on to focusing on the nature of choice and fluidity.
Jaxton
Nonsense about born this way. Yes that it’s innate but born this way? Nonsense.
Homosexual impulses are a normal component of all men. How you deal with it depends on the strength of the impulses and your values.
Conversion therapy may succeed in part but it’s pointless. Nature always gets reverted to.
Donston
Throughout all your months of saying random and contradictory things (under multiple usernames) you’ve at least settled on one “theory” for several months. But still, no. There are plenty of people with zero gay or straight “impulses”. And there has indeed been legit research to suggest that for a decent number of people orientation is a quality they are born with. You’re just as bad as a lot of people you hate on, refusing to accept that everyone is different and are different for different reasons.
And yes, while sexuality is within a spectrum, your obsession with the word “impulse” is extremely clinical and also undermines the nuance of orientation and the multiple that can drive people. “Impulse” is not arousal, passion, romantic instincts or romantic satisfaction. “Impulse” will do as a synonym for desire under these circumstances. But using the word “desire” is far more appropriate.
DCguy
Oh look, Brians new account blathering on without any facts as usual.
Hey Jaxton, innate and born this way are basically the same thing. Sorry that facts are so pesky for you.
DCguy
It’s abusive and even people who used to do it have admitted it is false.
There are only 2 reasons to support it. If a person is a bigot and wants lgbts to shut up and stay hiding in the closet. Or they like to harm lgbts.
John121
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx9A7L-bpZE
Sam6969
Those therapists should indeed be put in jail along with the homophobic parents. They are a disgrace to decent human beings. I cannot even conceive that it is still legal.
Sam6969
Alternatively to jail, the parents should be compelled to see a counselor specialized in homophobia 😉
It would be smarter.
radiooutmike
I’m aghast at these parents who somehow think that torturing your children to be as you wish is better than the actual thing their against.
Parents who do this to their children should be given jail sentences. It is inexcusable.
John121
This story is actually FAKE news. Brinton’s story has been disproven months ago. Will Graham Gremore take this story down or keep it up to get more clicks and demonstrate no respect to his readers? Let’s see.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx9A7L-bpZE
ToddDC
Nice try but I’ve known Sam for several years and sing with him in chorus. All of this is true…..you lose, so sorry