Conversion therapy is a hypocritical attempt, mainly by Christians, to play God in order to alter a person’s sexual predisposition. This practice sets to “teach” homosexuals that the way they feel when they are born is not okay and needs to be changed.
With these intentions, Gay Conversion Therapy is extremely dangerous both physically and mentally, according to a study done by Richard P. Halgin and Susan Nolen-Hoeksema in 2013 which found that “many individuals experience depression, anxiety, insomnia, feelings of guilt and shame, and even suicidal thoughts and behavior”.1
Therefore, why is it still legal in certain parts of the country?
It seems to be common sense that in “The Land of The Free,” also known as America, there would not be laws in place that prevent people from being their free selves.
However, America is so deeply rooted in religion, that even though the constitution enforces the separation of church and state, the country tends to establish laws and common values based on religious values.
Because of this, homosexuality was considered a mental disorder up until 1973. Even after that, same-sex marriage was illegal across America until 2015. Now, the fight is against Gay Conversion therapy, which is still legal in 32 states and four territories in the United States.
Gay conversion therapy needs to be illegal due to its blatant immorality in its attempts to play god, its mental and physical harm to its participants, and its lack of scientific justification, which drains it of any credibility in achieving its long-term goals.
The practice of conversion therapies is devastatingly ironic.
It seems to contradict the very beliefs that Christians value so highly, such as respecting God, and being fair, just, and non-judgmental towards others. “Love Thy Neighbor” is a common phrase in Christianity, yet it tends to contradict itself with the religion’s practices quite often. This contradiction can be seen when gay conversion therapy is practiced.
These religious groups claim to be seeking out what is in the best interest of people who are, to them, “different”, yet cause more psychological harm and destruction than anything else. How is someone meant to accept themselves when they are told that something they are fundamentally predisposition to feel is incorrect or wrong? Attempting to alter this predisposition is a form of playing God, as it is trying to change the way someone is born, also known as a God-given quality.
This is quite hypocritical of Christians, considering they are disrespecting the thing they worship most in life. It almost seems as if they care more about conformity and traditional roles than they do about the wishes of God.
Conversion therapy is both physically and mentally harmful.
Medical ethics are being violated because of the genuine harm done by gay conversion therapies. According to The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), “suggesting to patients that they suffer from a “defect” and that they ought to change constitutes a violation of the first principle of medical ethics: ‘first, do no harm’”.1
In fact, a study done in 2009 by the American Psychological Association reviewed 83 cases of people who had undergone conversion therapies. This study concluded that “not only was it impossible to demonstrate changes in subjects’ sexual orientation, . . . the intention to change sexual orientation was linked to depression, anxiety, insomnia, feelings of guilt and shame, and even suicidal ideation and behaviors”.1
Because of this, it can be concluded that these practices are morally wrong, and that if a country holds separation of church and state, then there should be no logical explanation as to why these interventions should be legal.
Conversion therapy simply lacks scientific justification.
While some individuals are able to somewhat repress and/or limit their desires and expressions of their sexual orientation, the orientation itself remains as an unchangeable and integral characteristic of the individual.
There is now an agreement among medical and psychological professionals that homosexuality is simply a variation of human sexuality without any inherently harmful effects. It does not constitute a mental disorder/illness, and therefore does not require a cure.
In fact, the PAHO states that “efforts aimed at changing non-heterosexual orientations lack medical scientific justification because homosexuality is not a pathological condition”.1
This draws the conclusion that conversion therapy is pointless. Not only because it fails to bring about any effective change, but also because it is harmful to individuals. It attempts to cure something that is neither a disease nor illness in the first place. If gay conversion therapy continues to be legal, society will be unable fully accept homosexuality as a normal way of life because there will be people who, within the law, will be actively trying to banish it. This practice is immoral as it attempts to play god, it is mentally and physically harmful to its participants, and it holds no weight scientifically.
Individuals should be allowed to live freely without the belief that the way they love another person is considered a defect. Prohibiting gay conversion therapy would bring the nation one step closer to making this a possibility.
References:
- Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Abnormal Psychology, by Richard P. Halgin and Susan Nolen-Hoeksema
- https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/conversion_therapy
