It is surprising, in the light of the hearing, to realise that the BACP has no specific position on whether SOCEs are ethical or not. This is even though an article published in the October 2009 edition of the BACP magazine Therapy Today which relied heavily on the opinion of Prof Michael King, on University College London and founder of the Gay and Lesbian Mental Health Special Interest Group at the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsy) to state that SOCEs do not work.

"Today marks the 38th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that protects women's health and reproductive freedom, and affirms a fundamental principle: that government should not intrude on private family matters," the President stated. That "fundamental principle" was not actually the principle claimed by the Supreme Court, which located the "right" to abortion with the woman, not with a family.

The fundamental values of some are clearly the outmoded beliefs of others: Veiling the female face and body and strict segregation of the sexes, races, religions or ethnic groups are striking examples. What some regard as sacrosanct often serves to impede progress.

Here is the challenging judgment of Shoghi Effendi (1897-1957), the former head and Guardian of the Bahá'i faith, one of the most incisive commentators of 20th-century world affairs:

The fundamental values of some are clearly the outmoded beliefs of others: Veiling the female face and body and strict segregation of the sexes, races, religions or ethnic groups are striking examples. What some regard as sacrosanct often serves to impede progress.

Here is the challenging judgment of Shoghi Effendi (1897-1957), the former head and Guardian of the Bahá'i faith, one of the most incisive commentators of 20th-century world affairs: