As we enter Pride month, we’re turning our attention to LGBTQ+ kids and teens. Their rights have been increasingly attacked lately, especially when it comes to being protected from dangerous threats including “conversion therapy.”
What is conversion therapy?
So-called “conversion therapy” is a practice that tries to force LGBTQ+ people into being straight. It is not based on any scientific evidence or medical standards. It particularly targets kids and teens.
Extremist religious groups push the use of conversion therapy to try to forcibly change people’s gender or sexuality, despite it having been debunked and shown to cause serious harm.
This isn’t just a political opinion. Medical, educational, and religious professionals and practitioners agree – conversion therapy has been discredited and condemned by all major medical and psychological associations, many educators’ groups, and hundreds of religious groups and leaders.
How does conversion therapy harm kids?
“Conversion therapy” is forced upon kids whose families or communities refuse to accept their gender or sexuality. It uses painful and abusive methods including electric shock, starvation, and even sexual reconditioning. The United Nations has labeled it torture and called for its ban.
Just like any forms of hate and prejudice can cause mental and physical harm, conversion therapy can lead to mental health issues like depression and anxiety, drug abuse, homelessness, and suicide.
LGBTQ+ youth who have been subjected to conversion therapy are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide compared to those who weren’t subjected to it. And LGBTQ+ kids who are not accepted by their parents, caregivers, or family members are 8 times more likely to have attempted suicide, 6 times more likely to be depressed, and 3 times more likely to use drugs compared to their LGBTQ+ peers who were more accepted by family.
Why are we talking about conversion therapy now?
Many states and cities have laws protecting kids from conversion therapy, and all of those laws received bipartisan support when they were passed. But these protections may change now due to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling.
Colorado was one of the states with a ban on conversion therapy, but in March of this year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Chiles v. Salazar that Colorado’s ban violated a Christian counselor’s First Amendment right to freedom of speech. It essentially overturned Colorado’s ban by ordering the state to re-assess it. The fear is that this could now happen in more states.
How can we protect LGBTQ+ kids from the harm of conversion therapy?
Being LGBTQ+ is not a disorder and does not need to be cured. The majority of Americans agree that kids should be protected from conversion therapy. It causes pain, confusion, guilt, and shame when we should be giving children unconditional love and support.
You can learn from and get involved with organizations like PFLAG, The Trevor Project, and the Human Rights Campaign who help us advocate for LGBTQ+ kids and teens. They also have resources for families looking for support or licensed mental health providers.
You can also learn and share about The Trevor Project’s Lifeline, a free and confidential crisis support service where LGBTQ+ youth can connect with trained crisis counselors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, by phone, text, or online chat. This is the critical, life-saving support our kids need – NOT “conversion therapy.”
Stay tuned for more easy actions to support LGBTQ+ youth in the coming weeks!