It was with great joy that the LGBT movement received, at the end of last month, the news that the Ethics Committee of the Regional Psychology Council of Paraná decided to revoke the professional license of psychologist Marisa Lobo, who calls herself a Christian psychologist. Known for selling her patients the promise of a "gay cure."
And why is this decision a cause for celebration? Are we not exaggerating in wanting our enemies to be harmed? These are some legitimate questions that we often ask ourselves when we stop to do self-criticism.
Before answering these questions, I believe it is necessary to understand what this "gay cure" means and its implications. First, the procedure is not as simple as its name suggests. This is because, as has been established in science, homosexuality is not an option, but an inherent characteristic of the person that develops from conception, with probable genetic origin. So how could you change a genetic disposition? So far, we don't know.
What if the person believes that, through a miracle, they will be cured? Well, then she can pray, make a promise and even look for a professional to help her. But this does not mean that the professional can deceive this person, promising a cure for something that cannot be cured. This, in fact, is prohibited by law (articles 283 and 284 of the Penal Code).
In addition to there not being a cure for homosexuality, there is another issue, closely related to the way we conceive homosexuality. If it was previously seen as a crime and a disease, this approach has been abolished for some time now by the competent authorities – respectively, by the Penal Code of 1830 and by a CFM resolution of 1985. At most, some religions can treat this sexual orientation as a sin. And that's it!
That is, when a homosexual knocked on the door of psychologist Marisa Lobo, what did the CRP-PR expect, based on resolution no. 01/1999, it was for her to warn that homosexuality is not a disease, therefore it cannot be cured, and that, as an inherent characteristic of the person, there are no methods to do so. That's speaking in cold terms. In reality, some reception and assistance is expected so that the person in pain can free themselves from the feeling of guilt instilled in them by radical religious groups.
As this was not what she did, Marisa Lobo not only violated the consumer's basic rights, but also contributed to her patients, already in pain, sinking even further into frustration when they discovered that their sexuality was not changing.
The CRP-PR cannot remain on the fence. These people, who call themselves professionals, use their psychologist credentials, granted by a professional entity, to benefit from the naivety and suffering of others. Either the entity takes action, or consumers will be harmed by false advertising.
Therefore, I say that the revocation of your professional registration should, indeed, be celebrated. And may it serve as an example to other professionals who follow the same obscure techniques used by the aforementioned psychologist. It is, in fact, sad to realize that the CRP-PR took so long to do so.
After all, who is responsible for Marisa’s victims? Can they seek reimbursement for the money spent and the patience wasted in the face of the CRP-PR by default? And what about the untruths told by Silas Malafaia, who associates homosexuality with pedophilia? Let's remember that he is also another "Christian psychologist" on the loose. What will the victims of your speeches be like?
You don't need to be a super-engaged LGBT activist to realize that scam professionals need to stop.
Thales Coimbra is a lawyer specializing in LGBT law (OAB/SP 346.804); graduated from the Faculty of Law at USP, where he is currently pursuing a master's degree in the area of legal philosophy on homophobic hate speech; he also founded and currently coordinates Geds – Study Group on Law and Sexuality at the USP Law School; and writes biweekly about Rights on the portals A Capa and Gay Brasil. www.rosancoimbra.com.br/direitolgbt
