Q. What's all this hype about a researcher apologizing for recommending change-therapy for people whose sexual orientation isn't straight? We've known that's possible for at least 20 years.

A. I don't know about hype. Neither do I know that “we've known that’s possible for at least 20 years.” Reportedly, the author of a 2003 controversial study on therapy to change sexual orientation has apologized for his conclusions. Emeritus Professor of Psychology, Columbia University, Dr. Robert Spitzer’s apology essentially represents a retraction of his original study conclusions, thus eliminating alleged evidence that a person’s innate sexual orientation can be changed through some type of psychological intervention. The conclusions of Spitzer’s original study were used by some to make claims that sexual orientation is a choice and that can be changed through therapy. There are anecdotal reports of the damage that this type of therapy has done to individuals, including some reported suicides when the therapy didn't work. Wikipedia has posted a page on the topic. View the page here.