What Happened to Conversion Therapy?

Conversion therapy, also known as 'reparative therapy' or 'sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts' (SOGIECE), is a pseudoscientific and harmful practice that seeks to alter an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity. Historically, these practices emerged from the belief that homosexuality and gender non-conformity were mental illnesses or moral failings. Early methods in the 20th century included hypnosis, psychoanalysis, and extreme aversion therapies such as electric shocks or drug-induced nausea paired with same-sex imagery.

The mainstream medical and psychological establishments largely embraced conversion therapy during the mid-20th century. However, following the Stonewall riots and increasing advocacy, major professional organizations began to disavow these practices. The American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1973, marking a critical turning point. Today, leading global and national health bodies, including the World Psychiatric Association, the American Medical Association, and the American Psychological Association, unequivocally state that conversion therapy is ineffective, unethical, and poses significant risks of harm, including depression, anxiety, suicidality, and substance abuse.

In response to overwhelming evidence of harm, there has been a growing global movement to ban conversion therapy. As of December 2023, 28 countries had enacted bans, with some, like Canada (2022), Belgium (2023), France (2022), Germany (2020), and New Zealand (2022), implementing comprehensive prohibitions. The United Nations and the Council of Europe have also urged member states to ban these practices. In the United States, 23 states and the District of Columbia had banned conversion therapy for minors by licensed professionals as of September 2024.

However, the legal landscape remains dynamic and contested. On March 31, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a significant ruling in Chiles v. Salazar, an 8-1 decision that found Colorado's ban on conversion therapy for minors, specifically concerning talk therapy by licensed professionals, violated the First Amendment's free speech protections. This ruling, which distinguished between talk therapy and physical interventions, is expected to cast doubt on similar state laws across the U.S. Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, conversion therapy remains legal as of early 2026, despite repeated government pledges to introduce a fully inclusive ban, with the Labour government renewing this promise in February 2026.

Despite legislative efforts, the underlying ideology that fuels conversion therapy continues to persist. Practitioners often adapt their methods and language, using euphemisms like 'healing trauma' or 'good faith teaching' to avoid legal scrutiny, particularly in religious or informal settings not covered by existing bans. This highlights the ongoing challenge of fully eradicating these practices and protecting vulnerable LGBTQ+ individuals, especially youth, from their profound and lasting psychological and social harms. Advocacy groups like Born Perfect continue to work towards comprehensive bans and support for survivors.