The disease concept of homosexuality-as with the disease concept of all so-called mental illnesses, such as alcoholism, drug addiction, or suicide-conceals the fact that homosexuals are a group of medically stigmatized and socially persecuted individuals. ... Their anguished cries of protest are drowned out by the rhetoric of therapy-just as the rhetoric of salvation drowned out the [cries] of heretics. (Thomas Szasz)

The disease concept of homosexuality-as with the disease concept of all so-called mental illnesses, such as alcoholism, drug addiction, or suicide-conceals the fact that homosexuals are a group of medically stigmatized and socially persecuted individuals. ... Their anguished cries of protest are drowned out by the rhetoric of therapy-just as the rhetoric of salvation drowned out the [cries] of heretics.

Thomas Szasz

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addiction alcoholism concept disease drug fact group mental protest rhetoric salvation

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