What is conversion therapy?
Conversion therapy, sometimes referred to as reparative therapy, is the practice of attempting to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of an individual who identifies as LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, and other sexual/gender identities not represented by a letter in the acronym). According to the Williams Institute of Law at the University of California - Los Angeles, approximately 700,000 people in the United States have already undergone some form of conversion therapy, and an estimated 77,000 LBGTQ+ youth between the ages of 13 and 17 will do so before they turn 18. Conversion therapy may be carried out by a licensed medical professional or a religious/spiritual figure. Their methods may include, but are not limited to:
The driving belief behind conversion therapy is that identifying as LGBTQ+ is a curable disease or mental illness. No scientific or medical evidence exists to support this belief. In fact, the American Medical Association asserts that non-cisgender and non-heterosexual identities are “normal variations of human identity and expressions.” Until fairly recently - 1973 to be exact - homosexuality was still included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, but the stigma against LGBTQ+ individuals in the workplace and beyond was not erased by its removal. Identifying as LGBTQ+ is not a choice, nor does it need to be reversed or averted in any way.
After waves of victim testimonials and the denouncement of conversion therapy by leading medical associations, many states have halted the dangerous practice, while others have pending legislation. In addition, certain local jurisdictions have also enacted protections for LGBTQ+ residents. However, none of these conditions apply to North Dakota. You can find a map of local and state bans on conversion therapy, as well as read testaments from victims of conversion therapy, here.
- Aversive conditioning (inflicting unpleasant experiences such as electric shock, deprivation of food and liquids, smelling salts, and chemically-induced nausea in an attempt to banish unwanted behavior)
- Biofeedback (using visual or auditory information in an attempt to treat mental and physical ‘issues’)
- Hypnosis
- Traditional talk therapy in which the provider attempts to convince the individual that identifying as LGBTQ+ is wrong
The driving belief behind conversion therapy is that identifying as LGBTQ+ is a curable disease or mental illness. No scientific or medical evidence exists to support this belief. In fact, the American Medical Association asserts that non-cisgender and non-heterosexual identities are “normal variations of human identity and expressions.” Until fairly recently - 1973 to be exact - homosexuality was still included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, but the stigma against LGBTQ+ individuals in the workplace and beyond was not erased by its removal. Identifying as LGBTQ+ is not a choice, nor does it need to be reversed or averted in any way.
After waves of victim testimonials and the denouncement of conversion therapy by leading medical associations, many states have halted the dangerous practice, while others have pending legislation. In addition, certain local jurisdictions have also enacted protections for LGBTQ+ residents. However, none of these conditions apply to North Dakota. You can find a map of local and state bans on conversion therapy, as well as read testaments from victims of conversion therapy, here.
What are the effects of conversion therapy?
Within the LGBTQ+ community, conversion therapy has earned a reputation as legalized torture due to its detrimental effect on victims’ mental health, especially among children and teens. The thinking encouraged by providers of conversion therapy fosters self-hate, and many “incurable” victims end up believing that they would be better off dead. Research has proven that transgender conversion therapy leads to an increase in the incidence of suicide, and gay/non-binary conversion therapy employs similar methods of self-hate that lead to anxiety, self-loathing, depression, and suicidality. In the eyes of youth who identify with a gender or sexuality that differs from the norm, the ideas presented in conversion therapy may seem to reflect the anti-LGBTQ+ narrative of many of their classmates, family members, and society as a whole, which can set the stage for life-long mental health problems. In addition, many of the previously mentioned methods used in conversion therapy, such as chemically-induced vomiting or electroshock, have negative physical consequences in addition to psychological ones. Due to the lack of a scientific basis supporting conversion therapy, as well as its damaging mental and physical effects, every major medical and mental health organization in the country has denounced conversion therapy. These include:
- The American Medical Association (read more about their stance here)
- The American Psychiatric Association (read more about their stance here)
- The American Association of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (read more about their stance here)
- The American Academy of Pediatrics (read more about their stance here)
What can I do about it?
Listen to the LGBTQ+ community and support measures that protect them from harmful practices and discriminatory policies. You can also contact your local and state officials and let them know that this issue matters to you and sign petitions that support a ban on conversion therapy. Finally, if you have the means, you can volunteer your money, time, or voice to organizations striving for equal treatment and representation of the LGBTQ+ community. (You can view a brief list of charitable organizations here, but a Google search will reveal many more. Check to make sure that whatever you find is legit and actually aims to support non-cisgender and non-heterosexual individuals, not change them!)
Other small actions that can go a long way in helping the LGBTQ+ community include asking about preferred pronouns and familiarizing yourself with LGBTQ+ terminology. As with any aspect of life, strive to be inclusive and supportive of the LGBTQ+ community. If you know someone in the community who has not revealed their identity, remember that it is not your right to “out” them; coming out is that individual’s choice, and sometimes doing so can have consequences of which you are not aware. Many anti-LGBTQ+ ideas continue to be propagated in modern American society (conversion therapy would not exist if these ideas had already been eliminated!), so please be respectful of the decisions that an LGBTQ+ individual chooses regarding opening up about their identity.
If you want more in-depth information regarding the effects of conversion therapy and societal/familial rejection on members of the LGBTQ+ community, this resource from the Human Rights Campaign is a fantastic place to start.
Other small actions that can go a long way in helping the LGBTQ+ community include asking about preferred pronouns and familiarizing yourself with LGBTQ+ terminology. As with any aspect of life, strive to be inclusive and supportive of the LGBTQ+ community. If you know someone in the community who has not revealed their identity, remember that it is not your right to “out” them; coming out is that individual’s choice, and sometimes doing so can have consequences of which you are not aware. Many anti-LGBTQ+ ideas continue to be propagated in modern American society (conversion therapy would not exist if these ideas had already been eliminated!), so please be respectful of the decisions that an LGBTQ+ individual chooses regarding opening up about their identity.
If you want more in-depth information regarding the effects of conversion therapy and societal/familial rejection on members of the LGBTQ+ community, this resource from the Human Rights Campaign is a fantastic place to start.