What Is Conversion Therapy?

Conversion therapy is any emotional or physical therapy used to “cure” or “repair” a person’s attraction to the same sex, or their gender identity and expression. Providers claim these therapies can make someone heterosexual or “straight.” But there’s no evidence to support this.

Medical and mental health experts have rejected conversion therapy practices as dangerous and discriminatory for decades. It not only doesn’t work, but could also lead to:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Drug use
• Homelessness
• Suicide

In extreme cases, the practices may be violent or torturous. Conversion therapy is sometimes called “reparative therapy” or “ex-gay therapy.”

What Does Conversion Therapy Look Like?

It can range from psychotherapy (talk therapy) to medical and faith-based methods that can be emotional or physical.

Psychotherapy. Talk therapy is the most widely used. But providers might also try behavioral, interpersonal, or cognitive therapies. Some teach stereotypical masculine and feminine behaviors or use hypnosis to try to change thought patterns for same-sex attraction. Another commonly used method is called “aversion therapy.” In this practice, people are exposed to painful or uncomfortable sensations like electric shocks and nausea- or paralysis-causing drugs. This is done in hopes of forming a negative association with the person’s attractions or identity to “correct” it.

Medical. This includes medicine, hormone, or steroid therapies. In extreme cases, gender-affirming surgeries are done to “neutralize” sexual orientation. especially among transgender people.

Faith-based. In some religious practices, homosexuality and other forms of gender expression and identity are sometimes viewed as “evil.” Conversion therapy is sometimes performed by clergy or other spiritual advisers. It may include using anti-gay slurs and prayers. In severe cases, it could also include beating, shackling, food deprivation, and even exorcism.

In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) removed “gender identity disorder” from its diagnostic manual. The APA now refers to conversion therapy techniques as “sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE)” or “gender identity change efforts (GICE).” It coined the terms to differentiate from evidence-based forms of therapy. But providers, usually unlicensed, can often disguise the terms they use to avoid being found.

These terms include:

• Sexual attraction fluidity exploration in therapy (SAFE-T)
• Eliminating, reducing, or decreasing frequency or intensity of unwanted same-sex attraction (SSA)
• Reparative therapy
• Sexual reorientation efforts
• Ex-gay ministry
• Promoting healthy sexuality
• Addressing sexual addictions and disorders
• Sexuality counseling
• Encouraging relational and sexual wholeness
• Healing sexual brokenness