10/08/2026
๐๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ
August 10, 2026
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฒ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง-๐๐ฒ๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฌ
The PAP LGBT Psychology Special Interest Group (SIG) has received reports from various stakeholders concerning a recently circulated, and subsequently deleted, advertisement for a ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง-๐ญ๐ฒ๐ฉ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฌ targeting LGBTQIA+ individuals.
As a professional organization committed to the promotion of ethical, evidence-based, and LGBTQIA+-affirmative psychological practice, the ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฒ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐, ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ, ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ข๐ณ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ, ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐๐ฑ ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ, or that ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐+ ๐
๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐จ๐ฌ.
A substantial body of scientific and professional literature has established that efforts intended to change or suppress an individualโs s*xual orientation or gender identity lack credible evidence of efficacy and and are associated with risks of significant psychological and psychosocial harm. ๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ, ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐ก๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐๐ข๐ ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ, ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ-๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ of those whom our professions serve, and be grounded in current scientific evidence.
Professional training must never be used as a vehicle for practices that undermine the rights, dignity, and psychological well-being of LGBTQIA+ individuals. ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ง ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ณ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐จ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ, ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐๐ฌ, ๐๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ฌ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌโ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐๐-๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐.
Should the promotion or conduct of such practices persist, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฒ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ฌ and, when warranted, ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ซ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฐ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ.
๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ง ๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐ฌ, particularly those making claims concerning s*xual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or s*x characteristics. We encourage them to examine the qualifications of trainers, the scientific basis of the program, its stated objectives and methods, and its consistency with established professional and ethical standards.
๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐๐ฐ๐ข๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ง ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ง ๐ฏ๐ข๐ ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง when practices within their respective professions perpetuate stigma, discrimination, or psychological harm against marginalized and minoritized communities, including the LGBTQIA+ community.
Finally, ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ฎ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ grounded in current psychological science, human rights, ethical practice, and LGBTQIA+ affirmative practice.
The ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฒ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฎ๐ with professionals, organizations, and stakeholders toward ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฐ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ-๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ.
END.
