The Souther Voice reports that the American Psychiatric Association’s controversial symposium on religion and homosexuality has been canceled. Yesterday, we reported that Episcopalian Bishop Gene Robinson pulled out, and today, it seems APA did as well. 

The symposium caused consternation among some psychiatrists and gays, who argued that holding a dialogue with hostile figures would legitimize homophobic views. The unlicensed, ex-gay therapist, Warren Throckmorton, was supposed to be part of the panel. On his blog, Throckmorton writes that he was told that organizers did not cancel the event because gay activists were unhappy with it. “At this moment, I am skeptical,” he writes. 

The event caused some discontent among other APA psychiatrists. Jack Drescher, a gay New York City-based psychiatrist and former chair of the APA committee on gay issues, emphasized that the forum was not an official APA event. He said association members organizing the forum did not appear to understand “how conversion therapists and their supporters on the religious right use these appearances as a public relations event to try and legitimize what they do.”