What is It?
Conversion Therapy is an umbrella term for a wide range of dangerous and discredited practices that attempt to change the sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression (SOGIE) of LGBTQ+ people. Conversion therapies assume science, religion, & society want LGBTQ+ people to change who they are. They are grounded in the idea that LGBTQ+ identities are the result of mental illness and can be “cured.” Practitioners try to make LGBTQ+ people conform to a cis-heterosexist, biblical gender, and sexual binary.
Also Known As
- Reparative Therapy
- Sexual Orientation or Gender Change Efforts
- Sexual or Gender Reorientation Efforts
- Eliminate or Decrease Unwanted Same-Sex Attraction (SSA)
- Ex-gay Ministry
- Promoting Healthy Sexuality
- Sexuality Counseling
- Healing Sexual Brokenness
- Sexual Attraction Fluidity Exploration in Therapy (SAFE-T)
Alternative terms are often used by groups that promote conversion therapy to that imply living as an LGBTQ+ person is dangerous and damaging. The terms also showcase how proponents of conversion therapy often attribute LGBTQ+ identity to sexual abuse and how they use distorted perspectives of religious living to convince LGBTQ people they are unnatural.
The Dangers of Conversion Therapy
Fifteen major health associations have expressed concern about the dangers of conversion therapy or called for the practice to be banned.
A study released by the Trevor Project in 2022 found that “conversion therapy and its associated harms cost the U.S. an estimated $9.23 billion.”
By reinforcing prejudice, conversion therapy puts LGB people at risk.
- 75% more likely to plan suicide.
- 88% more likely to attempt suicide resulting no or minor injury.
- 92% more likely to have lifelong suicidal ideation.
Gender change efforts have similar effects among transgender people.
- Effects of exposure are no different secular professionals and religious advisers.
- Exposure to gender identity change efforts is associated with mental distress among trans people.
- Gender change efforts are reported more by economically disadvantaged trans people.
Affirmation is the Answer
By demonstrating that there is nothing inherently wrong with LGBTQ+ identity, positive affirmation helps reduce social stigma and combat pressures to conform with hetero- and cis-sexist norms. Affirmation helps cultivate an environment where LGBTQ+ people not only feel acceptance but thrive.
- Access to at least 1 LGBTQ-affirming space reduces the odds of reporting a suicide attempt by 35%
among LGBTQ+ youth. - Family support is associated with decreased risk of poor mental and physical health outcomes among
LGBTQ+ people. - Gender-affirming medical care is associated with reduced risk of suicide among trans and GNC people.
Worst-Practices: Perpetuating Myths Through Pseudoscience
The United Nations Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGIE) warns conversion therapy “may amount to torture.” As medical science excoriates conversion therapy, proponents have reformed their messaging to focus on personal “healing,” with some admitting they cannot change a person’s SOGIE. Some worst-practices and how they cause harm are listed below:
Aversive Conditioning
How it works: Associates LGBTQ+ identities and the desire and feelings that come with those identities with pain, discomfort, and disgust – sometimes by inflicting physical pain.
How it harms: Inflicts physical and emotional pain, which causes trauma and severe mental health effects, such as depression, PTSD, and suicidality.
Psychoanalysis Techniques
How it works: Attempts to change LGBTQ+ individuals’ identities by blaming familial relationships and sexual trauma, and reducing sexuality and gender into a sex disorder.
How it harms: Inflicts psychological distress through shame and amplifies effects of social discrimination.
Corrective Marriage Counseling
How it works: Pairs LGBTQ+ people with a partner who reinforces gender and sexual binary. Compelling involuntary intercourse is also a tactic of this practice.
How it harms: Sexual abuse can occur in these pairings. Sets unrealistic relationship expectations that can harm all parties when they fail.
Gender Exploratory Therapy
How it works: Purports to explore the causes of gender dysphoria but largely assumes trans identity is a mental illness.
How it harms: Perpetuated by a group of anti-trans therapists who lead a network of policy organizations opposed to LGBTQ+ rights.
Read more: Combating Anti-LGBTQ+ Pseudoscience Through Accessible Informative Narratives
