---
title: "Conversion therapy"
chunk: 1/6
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_therapy"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T04:31:09.241296+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

Conversion therapy is the pseudoscientific practice of attempting to change an individual's sexual orientation, romantic orientation, gender identity, or gender expression to align with heterosexual and cisgender norms. Conversion therapy is ineffective at changing a person's sexual orientation or gender identity and frequently causes significant long-term psychological harm. The position of evidence-based medicine and clinical guidance is that sexualities like homosexuality and bisexuality as well as gender variance are natural and healthy aspects of human sexuality and gender identity.
When performed, conversion therapy may constitute fraud; when performed on minors it is considered to be a form of child abuse. It has been described by experts as torture; cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment; and contrary to human rights. Laws on conversion therapy vary, ranging from constitutional protection to a criminal offense.
Conversion therapy often consists of methods that involve, but are not limited to: talk therapy, aversion therapy, brain surgery, chemical castration, surgical castration, hypnosis, psychoanalysis, corrective rape, and various religious practices, including prayer and exorcism.

== Terminology ==

Medical professionals and activists consider "conversion therapy" a misnomer, as it does not constitute a legitimate form of therapy. Alternative terms include "sexual orientation change efforts" (SOCE) and "gender identity change efforts" (GICE). Together they are referred to as "sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts" (SOGICE), or "sexual orientation and gender identity or expression change efforts" (SOGIECE).
According to researcher Douglas C. Haldeman, SOCE and GICE should be considered together because both rest on the assumption "that gender-related behavior consistent with the individual's birth sex is normative and anything else is unacceptable and should be changed". The American Psychological Association stated in a 2021 resolution that some parts of SOCE also met their definition of GICE, and "intense focus" on gender-normative "conformity is a frequent characteristic of SOCE".
"Reparative therapy" may refer to conversion therapy in general, or to a subset thereof. Some sources prefer the term "conversion practices" to "conversion therapy", on the grounds that the practices in question are not actually therapeutic.
Advocates of conversion therapy do not necessarily use the term either, instead using phrases such as "healing from sexual brokenness" and "struggling with same-sex attraction".

=== Evolving phraseology ===

A common term found throughout conversion therapy practices is "same-sex attraction" with various phrases or words connected to it.
The term "same-sex attraction disorder" (SSAD), or sometimes "same-sex attachment disorder" was coined by Richard Fitzgibbon in the 1990s as a replacement for the term gay and the "ex-gay movement" and subsequently popularized in the 2000s by Richard A. Cohen who, in his book Coming Out Straight, detailed the phrase and invented "diagnosis" that tried to pathologize homosexuality as a condition, concluding that "Homosexuality is a Same-Sex Attachment Disorder." The term was picked up by the ex-gay movement in scripts such as "I used to be gay, but I don't think of myself as gay anymore. Now I just experience same-sex attraction."
A 2020 report by ILGA tracking bans on conversion therapy worldwide explained that in many countries where "conversion therapy" has been banned, "proponents had to reshape and adapt the way in which they present and offer their 'treatment'." The report further explains that many proponents of "conversion therapy" try to expressly distance themselves from the term "conversion therapy" or saying they support homosexuality or gender variance and referring to their alternative terminology as being something different. The report describes this effort to "make these pseudo-scientific practices 'a constant moving target'."
The report listed a series of common terms used by proponents of "conversion therapy" for their "services" to provide assistance with "unwanted same-sex attraction"; promoting a "healthy sexuality", addressing "sexual brokenness"; helping clients explore their "gender confusion".
In 2022, the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE) began tracking terms related to conversion therapy online in a report titled Conversion Therapy Online: The Ecosystem. 
The report documents practices, techniques and phraseology used by groups providing "conversion therapy" under various names to refer to the practice itself, as well as common phrases such as "same-sex attracted" in relation to conversion therapy targeted at LGBTQ people, in particular gay men and transgender people.
In January 2024, GPAHE published an updated report for 2023, highlighting that many social media platforms and search engines are still serving a lot of content related to conversion therapy. Listing examples, using the search term "overcoming same-sex attraction" on YouTube led to results from religious and non-religious groups serving videos targeting gay and transgender people, such as videos titled "Former LGBTQers Testify: If You No Longer Want to be Gay or Transgender, You Don't Have to Be."
In 2022, GPAHE also started creating an ongoing tracking project on organizations connected to the promotion of "conversion therapy" practices online titled Conversion Therapy Online: The Players to document the actors involved in these activities and show the interconnectedness. 
The report highlights some larger groups at the center of these efforts such as London-based International Federation for Therapeutic and Counseling Choice (IFTCC), chaired by Mike Davidson, founder of related Core Issues Trust (CIT) and several other organizations involved. IFTCC has been hosting annual conferences since its inception in 2015 with the purpose to connect individuals "seeking help with 'same-sex attraction' and 'gender confusion'" with therapists.

== History ==