There is no definitive evidence of the effectiveness of sexual conversion therapies. In fact, there is evidence that such attempts may cause more harm than good, including inducing depression and sexual dysfunction. With the acceptance of homosexuality as a normal variant by mainstream health professionals, there has been a reduced emphasis on using and evaluating sexual conversion therapies within medical and psychiatric circles. However, faith-based groups and counsellors pursue such attempts at conversion using yardsticks which do not meet scientific standards. Clinicians should keep the dictum “first do no harm” in mind.

– Dr. KS Jacob, Department of Psychiatry, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu (The Hindu, Chennai editorial Date: 25/07/2009)

Sadly, just as dark-skinned people are compelled to unsuccessfully spend fortunes daubing themselves with hefty quantities of fairness creams, people belonging to the LGBT community are expected to engage in expensive and sometimes degradingly painful procedures that claim to magically ‘convert’ them into becoming marriageably straight. There are a variety of such claims available in the market today, ranging from pills and potions to yoga and ‘conversion or reparative therapies’ practised by some mental health professionals. Take it from me. These cannot work. Homosexuality cannot be cured. Simply because it’s not an illness.

Dr. Vijay Nagaswami, Psychiatrist, Chennai. (The Hindu Date: 25/6/2011)

A distressed parent beseeched me, “Doctor, please counsel my son. He refuses to get married and says he is homosexual.” My advice to the parent was, “He is right. Don’t force your son.” But the parent still did not give up. “Please convert him into a heterosexual. It’s all in the mind. I am sure you can change his mind. What will I tell society? They will not accept us.” Despite the many concerns, I insisted that nothing could be done. The fact is that homosexuality is not in the mind. Nobody knows what makes a person heterosexual or homosexual. Over the years, four causative theories were proposed — the Genetic Theory, the Hormonal Theory, the Psychoanalytic Theory and the Peer Influence Theory. However, none of these theories were proven conclusively. The fact is that we do not choose our sexual orientation; we are just born a certain way. Sexuality is not a medical aberration that can be corrected or changed. Medical science has clearly accepted homosexuality as an alternative sexual orientation. The fact that someone who is close to you may be homosexual could shock you at first but acceptance is important. Homophobia stems more from a fear of the unknown rather than from homosexuality.

– Dr. D. Narayana Reddy, Sexologist (Deccan Chronicle Date 22/03/2011)