‘Most people are bisexual and we help them with the shame’: Speaking to the gay ‘conversion therapist’ Boris Johnson wants to ban
26 Aug, 2020 08:05
Boris Johnson and 'Gay Conversion Therapy', OK… Northern Ireland’s Core Issues Trust is in Boris Johnson’s sights as he seeks to outlaw gay conversion therapy. The group’s Mike Davidson explains to RT the work it actually does, and why he thinks the PM is wrong.
Gay ‘conversion therapy’ is a controversial subject. The notion that people can change their sexual desires or orientations has been lambasted by LGBT organisations, and branded medieval and barbaric. Last month, Boris Johnson labelled the practice “absolutely abhorrent.”
The prime minister said he wanted to prohibit the practice – following a yet-to-be conducted review – during an interview he gave to BBC News in July. He said: “On the gay conversion therapy thing, I think that’s absolutely abhorrent and has no place in a civilised society, and has no place in this country. What we are going to do is a study right now on, you know, where is this actually happening, how prevalent is it, and we will then bring forward plans to ban it.”
Earlier this month, the BBC conducted an interview with a man called Gareth, who underwent this therapy with a group called the Core Issues Trust. The trust is headed up by Mike Davidson, a therapist who claims to be able to help people rid themselves of unwanted sexual attraction. The techniques the Trust uses are a far cry from the appalling methods associated with conversion attempts in the past, such as electrocution. But nevertheless, in the BBC report, Gareth, a trained doctor, paints a painful picture of his experience with the therapy – something Mr Davidson contests.
To find out more about what exactly it is the Core Issues Trust offers and does, RT spoke with Mr Davidson, a South African psychotherapist who lives and works in Co. Down, Northern Ireland. He rejects the term ‘conversion therapy’ and claims that there is little difference between what he does and other forms of therapy, such as cognitive behavioural therapy. Davidson says that he explores people’s “sexual fluidity” and aims to help them align their behaviours with their values, rather than the other way around. It is a controversial position that is strongly resisted by LGBT organisations, and also rejected by all the UK therapy governing bodies…
More but not really worth reading: https://www.rt.com/uk/499010-gay-conversion-therapy-interview-boris-ban/