Methods of "treatments" for homosexuality

By: Tiara Fulton

Same-sex relationships, even now, have had various societal views and attitudes depending on the time period and society. Often times though, homosexuality was seen as taboo to many people. It was seen as everything from a sin to a disease, and highly illegal and immoral.  Due to the fact that homosexuality was seen as a disease, medical doctors sought treaments, in order to “cure” these individuals. Sodomy, another name for homosexuality during the 17^th century, was intolerable and if convicted homosexual individuals would be punished to death. [1]

For a long time homosexuality was seen and treated, as a disease or a mental disorder to majority of the practicing doctors. It wasn’t until the 1970’s that it finally received some light. In 1973, homosexuality was officially removed off of the list of mental disorders by the American Psychiatric Association. [2] Many of the treatments that were used for homosexuality were psychological methods. One method was aversion therapy. By definition aversion therapy is, a method used to associate pain with an undesirable trait, which in this case is homosexuality. Aversion uses a visual stimulus, usually a series pictures. These pictures are sorted by natural pictures and shock pictures, which depict homosexual acts. As they were being shocked they also received dosages of emetic drugs which caused them to be nauseous and vomit. This was seen as a way of conditioning the patients and helping them change or prevent their ways. In some cases male patients were even subject to direct shock to their genitalia.[3]  A surgical procedure called castration was also used to eliminate homosexuality. In this procedure surgeons would remove a homosexual males testes and a woman’s clitoris, called a clitoridectomy. [4]

Another method of homosexuality treatment was a medical procedure called a lobotomy and was first introduced in 1935.[5] A year later in 1936 the first lobotomy was performed by psychiatrist Walter Freeman. During this procedure doctors would drill holes into the skull of the patients and remove parts of the brain or scrape parts of the brain. Dr. Freeman wanted to create a faster way and more “ethical” way to perform this operation. In 1946 he introduced the 10 minute transorbital lobotomy, also known as the “icepick lobotomy”, in which an instrument went straight through the patients’ eye to the brain.[6] The end results of lobotomies often left patients traumatized, severely handicapped, paralyzed, and even dead. Freeman became most famous for this new practice and would later go on to complete aproximately 2,500 lobotomies. This method was also used to treat schizophrenia, depression, and other mental illnesses.

After learning about these three methods of treatment for homosexuality, it almost makes my skin crawl. All of these acts are inhumane and horrific. I couldn’t imagine having to go through these procedures. I feel even worse for those who had to live their homosexual lives in hiding so they wouldn’t be suspected and subject to these treatments. If society was more understanding during these time periods a lot of lives could have been saved and disabilities could have been prevented. I’m grateful to live in a time period where society is a little more accepting and that they are gay rights clubs and communites that some of my friends can turn to. I believe love is love and you can’t change that with these traumatizing methods.

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[1] Crompton, Louis. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, "Homosexuals and the Death Penalty in Colonial America." Accessed March 29, 2014. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1061&context=englishfacpubs.

[2] Silverstein, Charles. "History of Treatment/Medical Treatment of Homosexuality." Accessed March 29, 2014. http://www.drcsilverstein.com/publications/history.

[3] Scot, Jamie. Huffington Post, "Shock the Gay Away: Secrets of Early Gay Aversion Therapy Revealed." Last modified June 28, 2013. Accessed March 29, 2014. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamie-scot/shock-the-gay-away-secrets-of-early-gay-aversion-therapy-revealed_b_3497435.html.

[4] Moore, Crystal. “Masturbation & the Rise of Reform Physiology” Presentation to LBST 2101, Charlotte, NC, March 11, 2014.

[5] Tartakovsky, Margarita. World of Psychology, "The Surprising History of the Lobotomy." Last modified 2011. Accessed March 30, 2014. http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/03/21/the-surprising-history-of-the-lobotomy/.

[6] Public Broadcasting Service, "The Lobotomist." Accessed March 30, 2014. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/introduction/lobotomist-introduction/.