My parents called Focus On The Family about me...

[Alex201]

My parents were on the phone with Focus On The Family [A Christian orginization] and were talking abut my issues with them. They recommended a therapist in New York that my parents want to take me to see. Its probably a reperative therapist..one that is going to try to "fix me".


I told my mom I refuse to see a reparetive therapist and that I need a qualified gender therapist. I stood up for myelf and it felt great. I was very stern on where I stand and will not be swayed.


Hopefully now my parents will see how serious I am and get me to a proper therapist.


I dont need to be fixed...I am not broken.

I have an identity and it wont be undermined.

[Janet_Girl]

If you are 18 or over, Say "NO".  They can not force you and if they try, leave.

[Alex201]

Yeah..I'm 19 and I did refuse...I actually think my parents are listening to me this time.

[Tesseract Allen]

Oh boy, that's a scary situation...Focus On The Family are monsters, it's good that they're listening to you about this.

[cynthialee]

You really need to get out on your own.

[Alex201]

You really need to get out on your own.

Yeah..I know I do. I'm working on it....looking hard for a job but havent heard back from any of them...as soon as I get the money I'm out on my own.

[gilligan]

If necessary, tell them that there are at least 9 professional organizations in the US that say that reparative therapy doesn't work and/or is harmful. But please pick your battles carefully, especially if it involves food, shelter, etc.

American Academy of Pediatrics
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
American Counseling Association
American Medical Association
American Psychiatric Association
American Psychoanalytic Association
American Psychological Association
American School Counselor Association
National Association of Social Workers

(list obtained at http://www.hrc.org/reparativetherapy/)

[Sharky]

Ugh, Focus On The Family. I went to a Christian school so I'm familiar with them.

Go to www.snagajob.com
Apply for every job you can do.
That's what I did and 4-6 weeks latter I was working. May only make ~7 bucks an hour, but it's something.

[xAndrewx]

I'm glad you're standing up for yourself man Never heard of the organization but even the name sounds a little frightening.

Just keep trying with the job thing, took me forever to get an interview anywhere but 2 out of the 3 times I've gotten an interview I managed to get the job. Resumes can be a big help too if you have done any type of babysitting or yard work or volunteering.

haha I was about to mention snagajob but sharky beat me to it 

[Arch]

Oh, no. Nonononono.

All I can say is, F F on the F!!!

[asher]

Good for you man, that is a seriously scary situation, and awesome you stood your ground and made it clear you would not be forced into anything.
I found a job not long ago through snag a job, so definitely a helpful place to go, good luck!

[Suzy]

Just out of curiosity, do you know what they were told on the phone

[Alex37]

uggh i went to a really conservative christian school and church, so i definitely know about focus on the family    keep standing up for yourself man!  and good luck with the job search 

[tekla]

I'm sure Focus on the Fear was able to provide them with exactly the misinformation they wanted to hear.

And then some.  Focus on the Family can make an atheist believe because hell looks a lot like those people.

[Alex201]

Just out of curiosity, do you know what they were told on the phone

I'm not exactly sure what was said...but my dad seemed "impressed" because they were so "scientific".

My parents said they asked if I was right or left brained [I am right brained]..and when my parents told them I was right brained they said that right brainers have a "tendency to think outside the box and go against the norms"...but thats all the information I was able to get. I wish I knew more of what was said though.

[tekla]

right or left brained [I am right brained]

If they were the least bit 'scientific' (and they are not, matter of fact they are absolutely vehemently anti-science) they would know that the right/left brain stuff has been pretty much discredited for decades now - it's pretty much cocktail party junk science at best.

Joseph B. Hellige has written three books on this idea, it's pretty deep stuff (he's the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies and Professor of Psychology at Loyola Marymount University in LA, and a the world wide scientific expert in this kind of neurology) but the third book is more basic and comprehensive.

Cerebral Hemisphere Asymmetry, 1983
Hemispheric Asymmetry, 1993
Hemispheric Asymmetry: What's Right and What's Left (Perspectives in Cognitive Neuroscience), 2001

[Joelene9]

  I am a christian with conservative values.  I was taught tolerance as well.  The Focus on the Family is no place to find answers to your dysphoria nor is it a place to find salvation.  It is located in Colorado Springs and it is in the hub of ultra- conservatism.  There are other churches in the area that are like minded.  Stick to your guns Alex!  See this Dr. Phil video:
  Joelene

[Sarah B]

Hi Alex201

This says it all about Focus on the Family's Values.  Find a way so that you can live the life that you want to live, without interference that will undermine who you are.

Take care and all the best for the future.

Warm regards
Sarah B
Edit: Corrected Name

[malinkibear]

  I am a christian with conservative values.  I was taught tolerance as well.  The Focus on the Family is no place to find answers to your dysphoria nor is it a place to find salvation.  It is located in Colorado Springs and it is in the hub of ultra- conservatism.  There are other churches in the area that are like minded.  Stick to your guns Alex!  See this Dr. Phil video:
  Joelene

If those guys were the best two FotF could think of to send on TV, I wonder what the rest of them are like.

[VeryGnawty]

I'm not exactly sure what was said...but my dad seemed "impressed" because they were so "scientific".

If by "scientific" they mean a willingness to look at all evidence (whether scientific or not) which supports a limited interpretation of the Bible while ignoring all evidence against that interpretation.... then yes, Focus on the Family is scientific.

Personally, I don't see a reason to redefine words which already have a good definition.  Science is much simpler when you leave religion out of it.  Real science only works when theories are based on pure observation.  When there is an agenda, science is impossible.

Anyone can use big words, and sound fancy.  Apologists do it all the time.  Just because someone knows how to use the English language doesn't make them scientists.  Science is a certain way of observing the world which has nothing to do with whether or not one can pronounce words with more than four syllables.