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The other day I had a bit of a go at the docs at the British Medical Association conference for beating up homeopathy. And now I’m going to say well done to them for boo-hoo’ing the idea of gay conversion therapy. Gay what, you might ask? Yes, gay conversion therapy. Apparently researchers at University College London did a survey last year that found 17 percent of the psychiatrists and therapists they questioned admitted to having attempted to ‘help’ gays and lesbians convert to heterosexualism, and that many of their ‘patients’ had been referred to them by NHS GPs (shame on you). I kid you not. It’s like something out of the Dark Ages, goddamit.

That little snippet of research news completely escaped my attention when it was published last year (if indeed it ever was published) and I was completely shocked to hear that so many highly qualified professionals would even think of getting involved in something so, well, unprofessional (and downright nasty). Being gay is not a disease you can cure. And the delegates at this week’s conference have agreed as much. Thank goodness for that!

The conference, as I mentioned in my earlier post about homeopathy, has been taking place in Brighton (my home town) all of this week. And unless you didn’t know, Brighton is the gay capital of the UK. Can you imagine what might have happened if the BMA delegates had given the issue any serious thought? I’m thinking massive hissy fits and bitch-slapping of junior doctors outside the conference centre…. Sorry, I couldn’t resist using a well-worn stereotype there.

Let’s hope that’s the last we hear of such utter, vile nonsense.