Masters and Johnson's "Gay Conversion" True? - Panel Discusses at Launch for "Masters of Sex"
The controversy surrounding Masters and Johnson's theory of "gay conversion" is discussed at the book launch for "Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, The Couple Who Taught America How To Love," by Thomas Maier (Basic Books), which took place April 27, 2009 at the New York Academy of Medicine. In the biography, Maier raises strong doubts that many so-called conversion cases -- claiming to change patients from homosexuality to heterosexuality -- were embellished and fabricated. During this panel discussion, moderator Laurie Garrett questions Maier and panelist Dr. Robert C. Kolodny, former associate director of the Masters and Johnson Institute, about concerns these "gay conversion" were made up, and about the consequences of this theory. They are joined on the panel by writer Gay Talese (his comments that evening can be seen on other video related to this one.)