Singer Clay Aiken has condemned
therapies claiming to “cure” gay people, saying he knows he was
born gay.
Appearing last week on Dr. Oz,
the 34-year-old Aiken said he was “heartbroken” that the topic
was even being discussed on the show.
(Related: Dr.
Oz accused of misleading on “ex-gay” therapy.)
“Just by the nature of the name,
reparative therapy, you're implying that something needs to be
repaired. You're implying that something's wrong in the first
place,” said Aiken. “I think that puts people back 10 steps on
their journey [of self acceptance]. And my journey took 10 years.”
“When you imply that someone needs to
be repaired, when you even provide a service that says, 'We'll fix
this for you,' then what you are saying is what you are inherently is
wrong.”
“I know I was born gay,” he said.
“I didn't make a choice to be gay.”
Aiken, who came out gay in 2008,
added: “I'm happy with myself and that is a part of the journey –
being able to love yourself. I don't think these therapies help
people love themselves.”
(Watch
the segment at DoctorOz.com.)