Conversion therapies are practices aimed at altering, redirecting, minimizing, or suppressing feelings of sexual attraction towards members of the same sex or feelings of discordance between one's assigned biological sex at birth and gender identity. However, more often than not, it is the lack of self-esteem influenced by internalized homophobia or transphobia that motivates such therapies. This could be associated with adherence to religious beliefs condemning these experiences, portraying them as sins (Gritter et al., 2020). In Writh et al.'s qualitative study, a participant shared that his therapy sessions were centered around the reading of biblical verses. Thus, recognizing the religious influence in the implementation of conversion therapies is crucial. Most of these practices are conducted by family members, healthcare professionals with questionable ethics, or religious representatives (Mallory et al., 2019). In the late 1990s and early 2000s, several studies demonstrated the inefficacy and, notably, the danger of these methods. The American Psychiatry Association highlighted the dramatic consequences of these treatments such as isolation, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, and a high risk of suicide (Dromer et al., 2022). Nowadays, these practices are deemed unethical, prohibited by healthcare institutions, and outlawed in Canada since January 2022. However, according to Transpulse Canada, in 2019, nearly one in ten youth aged 14 to 24 has undergone conversion therapy in Canada¹. This issue remains prevalent throughout Canada and globally (Wright et al., 2018). This review focuses on the practice of conversion therapies: how they are implemented, by whom, on whom, their impact on health, and strategies to develop resilience in the face of these potentially traumatic experiences.
¹ https://transpulsecanada.ca/results/quickstat-1-conversion-therapy/
Comments