Treatments of homosexuality in Britain since the 1950s--an oral history: the experience of patients

doi:10.1136/bmj.37984.442419.EE

BMJ 2004;328:427 (21 February), doi:10.1136/bmj.37984.442419.EE (published 29 January 2004)

Paper

Treatments of homosexuality in Britain since the 1950s—an oral history: the experience of patients

Glenn Smith, research fellow¹, Annie Bartlett, senior lecture², Michael King, professor of primary care psychiatry¹

¹ Department of Mental Health Sciences, Royal Free and University College School of Medicine, Royal Free Campus, London NW3 2PF, ² Department of Psychiatry, St George's Hospital Medical School, Jenner Wing, London SW17 0RE

Correspondence to: M King m.king{at}rfc.ucl.ac.uk

Objectives To investigate the circumstances since the 1950sin which people who were attracted to members of the same sexreceived treatments to change their sexual orientation, thereferral pathway and the process of therapy, and its aftermath.

Design A nationwide study based on qualitative interviews.

Participants 29 people who had received treatments to changetheir sexual orientation in the United Kingdom and two relativesof former patients.

Results Most participants had been distressed by their attractionto their own sex and people in whom they confided thought theyneeded treatment. Although some participants chose to undergotreatments instead of imprisonment or were encouraged throughsome form of medical coercion, most were responding to complexpersonal and social pressures that discouraged any expressionof their sexuality. While many participants found happinessin same sex relationships after their treatment, most were leftfeeling emotionally distressed to some degree.

Conclusion The definition of same sex attraction as an illnessand the development of treatments to eradicate such attractionhave had a negative long term impact on individuals.

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