Gay rights groups have criticized a Dr.
Oz Show episode on the topic of 'ex-gay' therapy.
The timely episode aired as the SPLC
announced a lawsuit against an “ex-gay” ministry in New Jersey
and California Representative Jackie Speier introduced a
resolution encouraging states to protect minors from reparative
therapy, which promises to alter a person's sexual orientation
from gay to straight.
(Related: Chaim
Levin on undergoing “ex-gay” therapy: It wasn't kosher.)
Producers of the show were criticized
for including 2 proponents of the practice.
“Producers of the Dr. Oz Show
framed their program on so-called reparative therapy in a way that
provided a lengthy platform for junk science. The first two segments
of the show featured two proponents of so-called reparative therapy,
neither of whom was challenged, at any point, by Dr. Oz or any
guests. These two 'ex-gay' activists, however, were invited to stay
and rebut statements by opponents throughout the rest of the program.
NARTH representative Julie Hamilton was introduced by Dr. Oz as an
'expert' and spoke to countless parents and youth in the audience, as
if NARTH's work and practices represent legitimate and acceptable
medical practices,” GLAAD, GLSEN and PFLAG said in a
joint statement. “Although the show also featured guests who
condemned the idea and practice of 'reparative therapy,' Dr. Oz
himself never weighed in, and the audience was misled to believe that
there are actual experts on both sides of this issue. There are
not.”
Dr. Oz responded in a blog
post, saying he agrees “with the established medical
consensus.”
“I have not found enough published
data supporting positive results with gay reparative therapy and I
have concerns about the potential dangerous effects when the therapy
fails, especially when minors are forced into treatments,” he said.