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Rekers Confronted on "Ex-Gay" Therapy and Suicide

Rekers Confronted on "Ex-Gay" Therapy and Suicide

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The psychologist behind countless cases of therapy to "repair" the sexual orientation of gays and lesbians was confronted by CNN after a report earlier this week investigated the suicide of a man who was exposed to the treatment as a boy.

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The psychologist behind countless cases of therapy to "repair" the sexual orientation of gays and lesbians was confronted by CNN after a report earlier this week investigated the suicide of a man who was exposed to the treatment as a boy.


In the first part of "The Sissy Boy Experiment," which aired Tuesday, Anderson Cooper interviewed the family of Kirk Murphy, who took his own life in 2003 at age 38. At age 5, his parents enrolled him in an experimental, government-funded program at the University of California, Los Angeles, run by George Rekers.

In the second part of the series, Rekers was confronted as he was getting into his car. He told CNN that he was unaware of Murphy's suicide but said scientifically, it is inaccurate to assume there was a correlation between Murphy's death and the therapy he endured in the early 1970s.

"I only meant to help," Rekers said. "The rationale was positive to help the children, help the parents who come to us in their distress, asking questions [like], 'What can we do to help our child be better adjusted?'"

Watch the report here:

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Rekers Confronted on "Ex-Gay" Therapy and Suicide

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