As a physician, it is important to make decisions based on medical evidence.
“What is conversion therapy? According to the Human Rights Campaign, “So-called ‘conversion therapy,’ sometimes known as ‘reparative therapy,’ is a range of dangerous and discredited practices that falsely claim to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. Such practices have been rejected by every mainstream medical and mental health organization for decades, but due to continuing discrimination and societal bias against LGBTQ people, some practitioners continue to conduct conversion therapy. Minors are especially vulnerable, and conversion therapy can lead to depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness and suicide.”
Fortunately, respected mainstream medical associations have called for banning conversion therapy. Here are a few of those statements:
Three Virginia boards that regulate mental health professionals have banned the use of conversion therapy.
Most conversion therapy bans are addressed only until age 18; however, many adult survivors will tell you that the abuse often continues into adulthood. Examples are parents threatening that if their adult child doesn’t continue in the conversion therapy program, financial and living support might be withdrawn.
The bottom line is that almost every mainstream health care organization says conversion therapy not only is ineffective but causes great harm. Don’t take their word for it. In a recent Washington Post article — “Conversion therapy center founder who sought to turn LGBTQ Christians straight says he’s gay, rejects ‘cycle of self shame’ ” — McKrae Game, who founded Hope For Wholeness, a faith-based conversion therapy program, renounced the therapy and realized the harm he caused.
In addition, according to the article, “In 2014, nine former ‘ex-gay’ leaders signed an open letter denouncing conversion therapy as ‘ineffective and harmful’ and calling for an end to it. A Latter-day Saint counselor who practiced conversion therapy said in January that he is gay and that he ‘unequivocally renounces’ ex-gay ministry.”
The time has come to renounce this abusive and harmful practice, not only for minors but to pass legislation that bans conversion therapy once and for all.
Kenneth Olshansky,M.D.