The Executive Committee of the Lebanese Psychiatric Society issued a syndicate circular, regarding the mental health of homosexuality and the societal view, and refuted rumors and baseless claims of medical advice.
This circular came in response to public debates on social media on the topic of homosexuality, where many made statements “wrongly claimed to be based on science and evidence,” the circular indicated.
“As psychiatrists, we would like to clarify that homosexuality cannot be considered a disease that requires treatment,” they stated. “This is in line with the international consensus within the medical and healthcare community for many decades.”
They added that this is consistent with their position statement issued in 2013.
The statement also pointed to respecting the laws and developing them “to be compatible with scientific development, and protecting marginalized groups from the psychological effects due to bullying and what it entails.”
They affirmed their keenness “to respect the multiple societal and religious beliefs and traditions, which constitute the richness and splendor of our environment” and called for debates on the topic to be “respectful” and void of “offensive and threatening language.”
Pointing to circulating misconceptions in regards to treatment and therapy, the statement stated that “they have been proven incorrect and inaccurate, such as ineffective transformational therapies based on science” and urged the public to avoid advising on therapies wrongly believed to be based on scientific studies.
The statement concluded with the Psychiatric Society declaring their readiness to contribute their expertise to any related debate in the interest of the society.
This circular by the Lebanese Syndicate of Psychiatrists comes in response to the recent societal upheaval in reactions to the Beirut Pride and following the Interior Minister banning LGBTQ+ Events in June.
The reactions were as such that the Beirut Pride march had to be postponed indefinitely and a well-established snack brand decided to change its decade-old chips package where what seemed a rainbow color shows on the character’s T-shirt.
Related: Human Rights Organizations Call Lebanese Crackdown On LGBTQ+ Events ‘Unlawful’.
