Teresa – In trying to establish whether IHF is credible, I can point you to this page on the blog.

Also, in addition to your many good questions, I would add a question about where those complete changers were when they started their process. Not all people who begin reparative therapy are really gay in the first place. That they end up straight is not a matter of orientation change but of dealing with whatever got them into acting in contradiction their straight orientation.

RE: Richard Cohen – there are some who are afraid to talk publicly but who have expressed private doubts about the completeness of his orientation change. He did a demonstration at Exodus Intl in 2000 that is relevant to claims of complete change. He said he had completely changed then but the description here casts doubt on that. I have spoken to others who have engaged in various workshops, sessions with Richard that have similar tales to tell.

See also this video clip.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5q-0-5bnUk&list=UU6OQODXN5Iw8vvBA11gxFyg&index=6&feature=plcp

In my middle age, when my orientation could no longer be viewed as part of my teenage rebellion, we reached an accommodating place. We never had the same bond as he did with my brothers, but he really liked my longtime partner and was protective of our relationship.

My father had an aspirational script in his head for himself and my life as most parents do. My being gay rewrote the first act, then my father had no concept for the next act and got writer’s block. But it did not make me gay.

I wish these idiots would stop saying it is my father’s fault, or it that doesn’t work, blame my mother. Both my parents were good people who just did not know what to do with a gay kid.

2. As for the 75% cure rate, I recall reading that he also claimed a 33/33/33 outcome breakdown. That is 33% became happy, functioning heterosexuals, 33% substantially reduced their homosexuality to the point where the clients were happier, and 33% were something other than success.

3. Regardless of whether he claims a 75% success rate or a 33% success rate, after 28 years either figure would represent thousands of homo-to-hetero conversions. So where are they? Why can’t we meet any of those Kinsey 5’s and 6’s that he treated back in 1986 and 1987, now concluding their third decade of blissful heterosexuality? Why hasn’t his clinic published a single peer-reviewed paper on this? Why did it take him years to come up with just a handful of names to give to Dr. Spitzer in 2001 when Spitzer was seeking out success stories?

Total avoidance of former “friends” like these, replaced by new and straight primary relationships and new supportive community –e.g. a church family (welcoming- and witnessing-type which understands but does not go “PC”) help an individual deal with the fact that one can choose NOT to be gay.