Dr. Spitzer Says Homosexuals Can Change

Announces Research at Annual Meeting of American Psychiatric Association

May 9, 2001

The psychiatrist who led the effort to remove homosexuality from the official diagnostic manual of mental disorders in 1973 will announce a new study today which shows that homosexuals can change.

“Like most psychiatrists, I thought that homosexual behavior could only be resisted, and that no one could really change their sexual orientation. I now believe that to be false. Some people can and do change,” said Robert Spitzer, who is is Chief of Biometrics Research and Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University in New York City.

Spitzer stated, "Contrary to conventional wisdom, some highly motivated individuals, using a variety of change efforts, can make substantial change in multiple indicators of sexual orientation.”

He made his announcement at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association

Over the past several years, Dr. Spitzer interviewed 200 men and women who have experienced a significant shift from homosexual to heterosexual attraction and have sustained this shift for at least five years. Many of the persons had sought change because of disillusionment with a promiscuous lifestyle and unstable, stormy relationships. Many reported a conflict with their religious values and others had desired to be (or to stay) heterosexually married. By the time of the study interview, three-quarters of the men and half of the women had become married

One surprising discovery was that 67% of the men who had rarely or never felt any opposite-sex attraction before the change effort, now report significant heterosexual attraction. Even those whose orientation did not change — but who gave up homosexual behavior — experienced a significant improvement in emotional health.

Dr. Spitzer cautioned against an “either/or” view of orientation change. A better way to conceptualize change “is to see it as a diminishing of unwanted homosexuality and an increase in heterosexual potential — recognizing that for some, change is possible along a multi-dimensional continuum.” While cautioning against any form of coercive treatment, he added, “I believe patients should have the right to explore their heterosexual potential.”

The A.P.A. will have a panel discussion, “Clinical & Ethical Concerns Regarding Attempts to Change Sexual Orientation: An Update” this afternoon.