This is excellent, Awais. Unfortunately, conversion therapy is alive and well in large parts of the US, not just "off the books", as only the minority of states have banned the practice.
But this example goes to show that science and medicine do not simply get to declare what is considered or treated as pathological. The law is not bound to our conception of pathology. If we believe in the way we understand mental health and disorder, we must argue for it, and for the role of psychiatry and the psy disciplines to do so, as these brave Iranian doctors are doing.
This is all in response to your admittedly passing mention:
"Even now, there are religious communities in the US where homosexuality remains abhorred, is treated as pathological, and off-the-books conversion therapy is practiced."
This is excellent, Awais. Unfortunately, conversion therapy is alive and well in large parts of the US, not just "off the books", as only the minority of states have banned the practice.
The APA has taken a position against conversion therapies, appropriately: https://www.psychiatry.org/getattachment/3d23f2f4-1497-4537-b4de-fe32fe8761bf/Position-Conversion-Therapy.pdf
But this example goes to show that science and medicine do not simply get to declare what is considered or treated as pathological. The law is not bound to our conception of pathology. If we believe in the way we understand mental health and disorder, we must argue for it, and for the role of psychiatry and the psy disciplines to do so, as these brave Iranian doctors are doing.
This is all in response to your admittedly passing mention:
"Even now, there are religious communities in the US where homosexuality remains abhorred, is treated as pathological, and off-the-books conversion therapy is practiced."
Thanks for this clarification, Carl!