# Gay Men, Moms Sue JONAH--NJ Jewish Gay Conversion Therapists **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 28, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-men-moms-sue-jonah-nj-jewish-gay-conversion-therapists/642404 "2012-11-28T21:16:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-men-moms-sue-jonah-nj-jewish-gay-conversion-therapists/642404/1 "2012-11-28T21:16:52Z")
[Story here](http://abcnews.go.com/Health/nj-lawsuit-alleges-jonah-gay-conversion-therapy-fraud/story?id=17814302) > [@](#): > > The lawsuit alleges that some of the methods used included: telling boys to beat a pillow, the “effigy of the client’s mother,” with a tennis racket; encouraging “cuddling” between younger clients and older male counselors; and even instructing attendees to remove their clothing and hold their penis in front of Downing. > Attendees were also subjected to ridicule as “faggots” and “homos” in mock locker room and gym class role playing, according to the lawsuit. Does anyone believe these techniques work? A hope they get a buttload of money! ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2012, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-men-moms-sue-jonah-nj-jewish-gay-conversion-therapists/642404/2 "2012-11-28T22:57:49Z")
Do you mean the specific techniques that you quoted, or conversion therapy generally? The specific quoted techniques sound ridiculous. As for conversion therapy generally, I personally would be very skeptical, but then I’m skeptical of all other forms of mental health therapy too. In general, it’s hard to know with any real degree of confidence about such a political hot-button topic. There’s only one “correct” answer to the question of whether it works, and few reputable researchers are going to jeopardize their careers by concluding that it works. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2012, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-men-moms-sue-jonah-nj-jewish-gay-conversion-therapists/642404/3 "2012-11-28T23:14:44Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > hope they get a buttload of money! heh. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-men-moms-sue-jonah-nj-jewish-gay-conversion-therapists/642404/4 "2012-11-29T14:25:30Z")
Some of these “methods” sound an awful lot more like recruiting. Doing a “strip tease” in front of the “Coach”? Are these methods from the Jerry Sandusky manual? ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-men-moms-sue-jonah-nj-jewish-gay-conversion-therapists/642404/5 "2012-11-29T14:33:23Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > As for conversion therapy generally, I personally would be very skeptical, but then I’m skeptical of all other forms of mental health therapy too. _ **screeeech** _. ‘Mental health?’ My sexuality is a mental health problem? ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-men-moms-sue-jonah-nj-jewish-gay-conversion-therapists/642404/6 "2012-11-29T15:50:46Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > _ **screeeech** _. ‘Mental health?’ My sexuality is a mental health problem? I don’t think the poster you quoted believes that, but the people who practice conversion therapy sure do. I think he just meant, “Well, I’m skeptical of conversion therapy, but then again, I’m also skeptical of \.” ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-men-moms-sue-jonah-nj-jewish-gay-conversion-therapists/642404/7 "2012-11-29T17:18:34Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > _ **screeeech** _. ‘Mental health?’ My sexuality is a mental health problem? No…but wanting to change your sexuality might possibly be.