Homosexuality is not an illness, Lebanese scientists decide

Homosexuality is not an illness and cannot be ‘cured’, two leading Lebanese mental health organizations have agreed in a landmark ruling. The Lebanese Psychiatric Society (LPS) and the Lebanese Psychological Association (LPA) declared that gay people could not be treated as it was not abnormal, the first time scientific organizations had made such statements in the Arab world. In a joint press conference with the Lebanese Medical Association for Sexual Health (LebMASH) on Wednesday, the participants noted that the worldwide consensus of their respective professions is that these therapies have no medical or scientific basis. During the joint press conference, organized by local LGBT-rights group Helem, representatives from the three associations outlined their reasons for the change in policy. “Reparative” or “conversion” therapy, which attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation, has no medical or scientific basis, according to the organizations. Furthermore, such therapy can be harmful to the patient