Conversion therapy is a dangerous practice of trying to change someone’s sexual preferences or gender identity. A 2019 survey showed that people who had gone through conversion therapy were twice as likely to commit suicide as those who never went through conversion therapy. More states have decided to put in act laws that ban conversion therapy, like Oklahoma. In the past, Oklahoma has put in act laws that discriminate against LGBTQ+ members, like passing a bill that protected the right to try to change someone’s identity or attraction. In June 2019 more than 10,000 LGBTQ+ youth were protected from conversion therapy thanks to new laws being put in place. In 2020, Utah passed a law that bans conversion therapy on youth, which people were hoping would lower the high youth suicide rate (Brinton).
Sam Brinton came out to their parents in middle school that they were bisexual, their parents then sent them to conversion therapy where they endured endless trauma. They experienced emotional trauma for over 2 years going to therapy sessions where they were told they were the only one who was like that and how they were not welcomed in their faith community anymore because they were an “abomination.” Not only did they have to deal with verbal insults that were self-deprecating, they also were bound to the table and tortured with ice, electricity, and heat while looking at gay men to associate hate and pain with being gay. In 2018, Sam identified as gender-fluid and bisexual and was trying to repair the emotional damage caused by the conversion therapy they had to go through. Studies show that nearly 700,000 adults in the country in 2018 had undergone conversion therapy, and 350,000 of those underwent it as a minor. This practice is harmful in the methods and the lasting effects like depression, suicidal thoughts, and the distrust of mental health professionals (Brinton)
The Texas Children’s Hospital stopped providing hormone therapies for transgender kids in March 2022. This happened due to the actions of the Texas government. Attorney General Paxton made a statement addressing hormone therapy for transgender children and how he felt in his opinion it was a form of child abuse. The Texas Children’s hospital stopped providing hormone therapies due to wanting to keep their staff and parents from getting consequences from the government (Vera and Lemos).
Africa came under fire in 2014, when they approved laws and bills discriminating against the LGBTQ+ community. The bills made it illegal to be a part of homosexual acts, and if you were to be caught you could face prison time, and gay organizations became banned. In 2014 out of 54 countries in Africa, 38 made homosexuality illegal. Due to the crackdown on homosexuality, in 2014 most progress has stopped to beat the AIDS crisis. One reason is people who are homosexual are afraid to get help, and they stop medical treatment. HIV prevention workers have stopped reaching out to homosexuals due to the consequences they could face from the government. Another reason is the stigma involving homosexuals, which has left them unstudied to beat the AIDS crisis (Gerson).