LBGT activists launch new campaign to end reparative therapy

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Source Time magazine website.
http://time.com/2907989/bornperfect-gay ... tter-brief

The issues involved are practically the same as what we deal with so we need to watch and observe what works, what doesn't and what unintended consequences occur.

But learn how?

Sorry, my parents always told me it was inappropriate to compare autism to homosexuality. I think it might be, but I don't know for sure. And "reparative therapy" for us--ABA--actually works. "Reparative therapy" for them doesn't.

Autism and homosexuality are not the same but their are similarities. Both groups are "born that way". Homosexually was thought to be a fundamental flaw that needed to be corrected as is the case with autism now. Both groups were ostracized and thought to be incompatible with society. Leaning new social skills to get along with your friends or for employment is a good thing. But "reparative therapy" is much more then that. Just by the wording you can tell "Reperative" therapy is meant to repair what is thought to be broken which is our brain. If you think your autism makes you fundamentally broken as compared with having flaws and good points then ABA is designed for you. Like the LBGT people who are fighting "reparative therapy" I do not believe the I was born fundamentally broken and thus do not want to be "repaired".

I also believe that while ABA does change behavior in the short and medium term, by altering or attempting to alter the fundamentals who you are can be psychologically damaging in the long term

They aren't exactly the same, but there are parallels.
1. Most notably, saying we need to be cured/normalized.
2. I've heard some evangelicals argue both are results of Adam's sin.
3. Destroing marriages/families. Some claim that autism greatly increases the chances of parents getting divorced.
4. The closet

One thing's for sure. It makes much more sense than comparing autism to cancer, AIDS, etc.

I'd say it's pretty similar. Certainly I relate to Mr. Brinton's statements about a pervasive feeling of shame.

I don't want that ANYONE (short of maybe rapists, child molesters, swindlers of old folks, and people who kill just because they can) should have to live with what I carry.

I think reparative therapy is sick, stupid, self-righteous social engineering.

BUT. The fact remains that there are those for whom homosexuality is a sin before God, a direct path to Hell. One of the worst things that could happen to these people, as parents, is to have a homosexual child. Regardless of what I think of that, THEY are going to take every means available to correct the child's "sin." If that's "reparative therapy," so be it. And if that's physical, emotional, and even sexual abuse, it will be.

I think we'd be better off, as sad as it makes me, to regulate what is allowed to be done in the name of "reparative therapy" (and, for that matter, in the name of Applied Behavioral Analysis, too).

Because the belief that homosexual (autistic) people are fundamentally broken isn't going to go away. At least, not any time soon. People treasure their right to "fix it." They are going to try. That's just how people are. I think we'll be more successful if we limit our efforts to supporting the victims and minimizing the damage.

I see where you're coming from. That's similar to the arguments made for legalizing marijuana, other drugs, prostitution, etc. However, in this case I don't think that allowing certain regulated less-dangerous anti-gay therapies will stop people from imposing more dangerous ones on their kids. If they're that desperate to "cure" homosexuality, they'll see the regulated therapy inevitably fail and then go to the more dangerous types anyway.
I would like to see therapies that are designed to "normalize" autistic people banned also. Therapies designed to help autistic people function in society should be allowed. I'm agnostic about some forms of ABA.

Most of the time compromise even painful compromise is the lesser of two evils and is even good sometimes. Sometimes something is just so fundamentally wrong it just can't be accepted. This is such a case.