'Cures' for homosexuality in Russia

[Volkmacht]

"Controversial "treatments" by psychotherapists and preachers are being offered to gay people in Russia.

BBC Russian heard accounts of so-called cures, after it emerged that gay men were being persecuted in Chechnya, a mainly Muslim republic in southern Russia.

On Tuesday German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she had asked President Vladimir Putin to "use his influence to protect the rights of minorities", referring to the reports from Chechnya.

Homosexuality is not officially considered a mental disorder in Russia. But homophobia is common - not only in Chechnya.

Russia removed homosexuality from its list of recognised psychiatric conditions in 1999 - after the US had done so in 1973 and the World Health Organization in 1992.
Globally, scientists do not recognise any "treatment" of homosexuality as effective or required"

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39777612

Why can't Vladimir Putin get it through his head that curing homosexuality is about as pointless as trying to cure autism?

[Imperialistoxic]

Why not? I mean, if it is something natural happens in a human body, there would be a scientific method to change it.

[Philjia]

Why not? I mean, if it is something natural happens in a human body, there would be a scientific method to change it.

Not necessarily in a safe or ethical way.

[Kekonistan]

Why not? I mean, if it is something natural happens in a human body, there would be a scientific method to change it.

This, I believe it can be cured in a way.

[Dumb Ideologies]

Why not? I mean, if it is something natural happens in a human body, there would be a scientific method to change it.

By demanding "cures", the homophobes are being unreasonable and placing excessive burdens - if anything needs curing it would be homophobia

[Randsbeik]

If they're willingly handing over their money, who cares?

[Skyhooked]

Cure like some illness? I don't know... perhaps the word "Switch" or "Change" would fit more. Yes, rename it to "Change" the orientation. That implies, that the procedure is totally voluntary and that solution hopefully would satisfy both sides. Without losing any scientific data, which can be lost if this project is terminated.

[Alvecia]

If they're willingly handing over their money, who cares?

Historically "cures" for homosexuality haven't exactly been....pleasant.

[Gim]

Why not? I mean, if it is something natural happens in a human body, there would be a scientific method to change it.

Not necessarily in a safe or ethical way.

I'm not trying to offend about anything or anyone related to homosexuality, but I think surgical and other medical procedures used to cure people of normally-occurring diseases are dangerous as well.

[Purple Empire]

If they're willingly handing over their money, who cares?

Historically "cures" for homosexuality haven't exactly been....pleasant.

But chemotherapy is also not pleasant...

[Alvecia]

Not necessarily in a safe or ethical way.

I'm not trying to offend about anything or anyone related to homosexuality, but I think surgical and other medical procedures used to cure people of normally-occurring diseases are dangerous as well.

Hard to really say anything for certain given we don't actually know what the cure is, but I think we can be pretty sure it'll be at least unethical.

As to dangerous though, I think that danger needs to take into account risk/reward. The risk of open heart surgery is high, but so is the reward. In this case, I highly doubt there will be any reward given what we know about homosexuality, so I would consider the danger to be greater as a result.

[Alvecia]

Historically "cures" for homosexuality haven't exactly been....pleasant.

But chemotherapy is also not pleasant...

See above about risk/reward.
Also ethics.

[Gim]

I'm not trying to offend about anything or anyone related to homosexuality, but I think surgical and other medical procedures used to cure people of normally-occurring diseases are dangerous as well.

Hard to really say anything for certain given we don't actually know what the cure is, but I think we can be pretty sure it'll be at least unethical.

As to dangerous though, I think that danger needs to take into account risk/reward. The risk of open heart surgery is high, but so is the reward. In this case, I highly doubt there will be any reward given what we know about homosexuality, so I would consider the danger to be greater as a result.

I think our perspectives are pretty different, but I won't delve into that. I don't outright oppose what you said, though.

[Philjia]

Not necessarily in a safe or ethical way.

I'm not trying to offend about anything or anyone related to homosexuality, but I think surgical and other medical procedures used to cure people of normally-occurring diseases are dangerous as well.

Surgery is generally less dangerous to people than the condition it's being used to treat, and we're rather good at it. Our collective competence at forcibly controlling people's thoughts is much lower, and generally involves invasive and unpleasant techniques which leave you with a severely repressed individual with a whole set of new mental health problems.

[RiderSyl]

Historically "cures" for homosexuality haven't exactly been....pleasant.

But chemotherapy is also not pleasant...

As someone who's had the displeasure of taking chemotherapy, you're often only put through it when there is an immediate danger to your life.

The immediate danger to the life of homosexuals in Russia is their government. There's no medical solution for that.

[Alvecia]

Also consider that given the reported attitudes towards homosexuality in Russia, going for a "cure" might well be the lesser of two evils for some.

[RiderSyl]

Also consider that given the reported attitudes towards homosexuality in Russia, going for a "cure" might well be the lesser of two evils for some.

There are some fates worse than dying.

[Alvecia]

Also consider that given the reported attitudes towards homosexuality in Russia, going for a "cure" might well be the lesser of two evils for some.

There are some fates worse than dying.

That's true, but hard to rationalise for some in the face of death.

[RiderSyl]

There are some fates worse than dying.

That's true, but hard to rationalise for some in the face of death.

Would you rather live as someone you've been tortured into, or die as yourself?
It's unfortunate that a trope of science fiction is being played out in Russia right now.

[The Alma Mater]

Also consider that given the reported attitudes towards homosexuality in Russia, going for a "cure" might well be the lesser of two evils for some.

Is fundamentally changing who you are not also dying in a way ?

But imagine that tomorrow people invent a pill that will "cure" you of your religious beliefs. Or of your love for baseball. Your fondness of the colour green. Your liking of cats.

Why should you even consider taking it, especially if the side effects are nasty ?

[Purple Empire]

Also consider that given the reported attitudes towards homosexuality in Russia, going for a "cure" might well be the lesser of two evils for some.

Is fundamentally changing who you are not also dying in a way ?

But imagine that tomorrow people invent a pill that will "cure" you of your religious beliefs. Or of your love for baseball. Your fondness of the colour green. Your liking of cats.

Why should you even consider taking it, especially if the side effects are nasty ?

Maybe some people don't want to be homosexual.

[Hindia Belanda]

As long as it's not forced...but the notion that homosexuality is something which can be "cured", like an illness, is in itself unethical and disgusting.

[Alvecia]

Is fundamentally changing who you are not also dying in a way ?

But imagine that tomorrow people invent a pill that will "cure" you of your religious beliefs. Or of your love for baseball. Your fondness of the colour green. Your liking of cats.

Why should you even consider taking it, especially if the side effects are nasty ?

Maybe some people don't want to be homosexual.

They'll most likely be very disappointed by the proposed "cure"

[The Alma Mater]

Is fundamentally changing who you are not also dying in a way ?

But imagine that tomorrow people invent a pill that will "cure" you of your religious beliefs. Or of your love for baseball. Your fondness of the colour green. Your liking of cats.

Why should you even consider taking it, especially if the side effects are nasty ?

Maybe some people don't want to be homosexual.

Quite possible.
So what you are saying is that we, as a society, should rejoice if it becomes possibke for people to change things about themselves

Like their sexual preferences. Or their gender. Their skincolour.

Is that correct ?

[Mad hatters in jeans]

Someone really didn't like Yuri on Ice huh.