{"id":40284,"date":"2026-07-08T16:00:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T20:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/?p=40284"},"modified":"2026-07-08T16:00:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T20:00:11","slug":"conversion-therapy-an-unethical-attempt-to-erase-queerness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/conversion-therapy-an-unethical-attempt-to-erase-queerness\/","title":{"rendered":"Conversion Therapy: An Unethical Attempt to Erase Queerness"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-40285 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/silhouette-against-shiny-colors-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Boy&#039;s silhouette against colors\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/silhouette-against-shiny-colors-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/silhouette-against-shiny-colors-800x533.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>\u201cOn some days, it\u2019s hard to believe that I ever lived in a world that operated on such extreme notions of self-annihilation. But then I turn on the news, read a few articles, and realize that what I have experienced may have been unique, but in no way was it disconnected from history. Minorities continue to be abused and manipulated by both nefarious and well-intentioned groups of people, and harmful ideas continue to develop new political strains all over the world.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">\u2014Garrard Conley<\/p>\n<h2>What Is Conversion Therapy?<\/h2>\n<p>Conversion therapy is a discredited form of therapy in which the goal is to change or alter one\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/learn-about-therapy\/issues\/LGBT-issues\">sexuality or gender identity<\/a>. It can also be called \u201creparative therapy\u201d and \u201csexual orientation change effort\u201d. Conversion therapy has recently become a topic of conversation in part due to Garrard Conley\u2019s memoir <em>Boy Erased <\/em>and its subsequent film adaptation. Conversations have led to new legislation banning the practice being used on minors.<\/p>\n<p>A conversion therapy practitioner may attempt to change sexuality by:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Reframing homoerotic attraction as unmet emotional needs and\/or admiration.<\/li>\n<li>Reducing homosexual behaviors through avoidance of LGBTQ+ culture, activities which don\u2019t conform to gender norms, etc.<\/li>\n<li>Urging individuals to develop nonsexual, same-sex relationships.<\/li>\n<li>Utilizing support groups to hold people in therapy \u201caccountable\u201d.<\/li>\n<li>Using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/learn-about-therapy\/issues\/religious-issues\">religious methods<\/a> to provide answers or alleged miracles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Another archaic strategy includes aversion therapy, in which a client is induced to vomit at the sight of images they might find erotic.<\/p>\n<p>Conversion therapy has been deemed unethical and harmful by several major psychological organizations, including the American Psychological Association (APA), the American Counseling Association (ACA), and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), to name a few. However, conversion therapy is still being forced on children by concerned parents or sought out by adults desperately looking for a way to \u201cfix\u201d themselves. Conversion therapists, or in some cases \u201clife coaches\u201d, may manipulate clients or parents by claiming that they can change someone\u2019s sexuality or gender identity. However, the research surrounding these types of therapies paint a very different picture.<\/p>\n<h2>How Conversion Therapy Can Cause Harm<\/h2>\n<p>A study conducted by Beckstead and Morrow examined the experience of individuals who had participated in conversion therapy. Initially, most of the participants reported a willingness to give up their sexual identities in return for religious and social acceptance. They believed their sexual identities actively opposed their religious identities. This viewpoint caused them to pursue harmful efforts toward change.<\/p>\n<p>In a 2002 study by Shidlo and Schroeder, participants reported many harms from engaging in conversion therapy. The harms mentioned by participants included:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Decreased <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/learn-about-therapy\/issues\/self-esteem\">self-esteem<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Internalized <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/psychpedia\/homophobia\">homophobia<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Increased <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/learn-about-therapy\/issues\/depression\">depression<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/learn-about-therapy\/issues\/suicide\">Suicidality<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Increased negative feelings toward <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/learn-about-therapy\/issues\/family-of-origin-issues\">family of origin<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The list doesn\u2019t stop there. In a 2004 study, one individual who had undergone conversion therapy said, \u201cconversion therapy damages each aspect of an individual.\u201d Another individual stated that conversion therapy did not change their sexual identity but instead made their life more confusing and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/psychpedia\/hopelessness\">hopeless<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>What Ethical Therapy for LGBTQ+ People Looks Like<\/h2>\n<p>All these voices paint a picture that says conversion therapy is not a tool to help LGBTQ+ individuals. Instead it is used to oppress them, perpetuate internalized homophobia and transphobia, create more psychological distress, and give people a sense of false hope that they can be \u201ccured\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Clinicians who practice conversion therapy can misuse their power to enact social <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/learn-about-therapy\/issues\/prejudice-discrimination\">discrimination<\/a> onto clients with little to no regard for their well-being. They are often less concerned with the person sitting in front of them than with perpetuating a heterosexist ideology. Therapists can more effectively support LGBTQ+ individuals by engaging in affirmative therapy.<\/p>\n<p>LGBTQ+ affirmative counselors are mindful of the discrimination and oppression that marginalized individuals often face. They use their power as clinicians to advocate for clients with marginalized identities. They may also work with clients to overcome internalized negative attitudes. LGBTQ+ affirmative therapists can offer a supportive and accepting space for their clients by:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ensuring their paperwork is inclusive (such as having a line for preferred pronouns).<\/li>\n<li>Using the language their clients have provided for pronouns, sexual identity, and gender identity.<\/li>\n<li>Being willing to address the most difficult experiences with LGBTQ+ clients and to hold their pain.<\/li>\n<li>Recognizing the strengths and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/psychpedia\/resilience\">resiliency<\/a> of LGBTQ+ individuals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The work doesn\u2019t stop there. It is important that therapists continue to educate themselves so they can provide competent care for LGBTQ+ clients. Competent care involves paying close attention to the complex intersectionality of clients and how this informs their experiences. This way, therapists can make a space where individuals can feel safe enough to bring their entire selves.<\/p>\n<p><strong>References:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Beckstead, A. (2012). Can we change sexual orientation? <em>Archives of Sexual Behavior<\/em>, <em>41<\/em>(1), 121\u2013134. Retrieved from https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10508-012-9922-x<\/li>\n<li>Beckstead, A. L., &amp; Morrow, S. L. (2004). Mormon clients\u2019 experiences of conversion therapy: The need for a new treatment approach. <em>The Counseling Psychologist<\/em>, <em>32<\/em>(5), 651\u2013690. Retrieved from https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0011000004267555<\/li>\n<li>Conley, G. (2017). <em>Boy erased: A memoir of identity, faith, and family<\/em> (Reprint). Riverhead Books.<\/li>\n<li>Harper, A., Finnerty, P., Martinez, M., Brace, A., Crethar, H. C., Loos, B., \u2026 Hammer, T. R. (2013). Association for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues in counseling competencies for counseling with lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, questioning, intersex, and ally individuals. <em>Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling<\/em>, <em>7<\/em>(1), 2\u201343. Retrieved from https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/15538605.2013.755444<\/li>\n<li>Shidlo, A., &amp; Schroeder, M. (2002). Changing sexual orientation: A consumers\u2019 report. <em>Professional Psychology: Research and Practice<\/em>, <em>33<\/em>(3), 249\u2013259. Retrieved from https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/0735-7028.33.3.249<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Despite its name, research suggests conversion therapy has little therapeutic value. In fact, the practice often causes serious emotional and mental harm.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3104,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[542,623],"tags":[1469,1470,1423],"class_list":["post-40284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-featured-articles","category-issues-treated","tag-conversion-therapy","tag-homophobia","tag-transphobia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3104"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40284"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40284\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}