Thursday, October 30, 2008

A bit of good news and a reposting

Top Researcher: Ex-Gay 'Therapy' Group NARTH Distorted My Studies

(Editor's note: I think we are in double digits now with scientific complaints about the religious right)

Truth Wins Out released an exclusive video interview today with University of Utah professor, Dr. Lisa Diamond, who said that the National Association of Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) grossly and deliberately distorted her research on sexual orientation. Dr. Diamond's assertion comes one week before NARTH's annual conference in Denver, which will take place Nov. 7-9.

"Dr. Nicolosi, you know exactly what you are doing," said Diamond in the video, addressing NARTH's co-founder Dr. Joseph Nicolosi."This is a willful misuse and distortion of my research. Not an academic disagreement. Not a slight shading of the truth. It's willful distortion. And, it's illegitimate and it's irresponsible and you know that. And you should stop."
"We are fighting back against the gross distortions of our lives by anti-gay organizations who manipulate science for political gain," said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of Truth Wins Out. "These organizations claim to be moral, but often twist scientific research in the most shameless and dishonest ways imaginable. We are committed to exposing these lies and ensuring that science is accurately and honestly presented."

Lisa M. Diamond, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Gender Studies in the Department of Psychology at the University of Utah. She has won a number of awards for her work. In 2000, Dr. Diamond published a study, "Sexual identity, attractions, and behavior among young sexual minority women over a 2 year period." This study was distorted by NARTH. The anti-gay organization falsely claimed that Dr. Diamond's work shows that sexual orientation is "amenable to change."

Let's not forget Arkansas

So much attention seems to be given to the "Last Battle of California" with Proposition 8 . Even the good witch of the religious right, James Dobson, ventured from his ivory tower to speak on it.
Proposition 8 must be defeated. But let's not forget the other states with equally disturbing ballot initiatives. With that in mind, I am referring to an earlier post I wrote regarding the anti-gay adoption initiative in Arkansas:

Arkansas makes a possible boo boo:

If the religious right wins this fight in Arkansas, expect to see more initiatives like it on a nationwide basis.