Essay Sample on Ban Conversion Therapy: LGBTQ People Should Not Be Forced To Change

Introduction

Conversion therapy is any treatment that attempts to change a person's sexual orientation, gender expression, or gender identity. Conversion theory is based on the notion that LGBTQ is a mental illness that needs to be cured, and thus, conversion therapists use several shaming and emotionally traumatic stimuli to ensure their victims associate these stimuli with their LGBTQ identities (“The gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, ”n.d). This practice of conversion therapy has come under a lot of scrutinies, and providers have slightly changed their terminologies to examples such as reparative therapies, ex-gay ministry, sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE), promoting healthy sexuality, and healing sexual brokenness. At least 698,000 LGBTQ adults aged 18 to 59 years in the United States have received conversion therapy (“The gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, “ n.d). However, most of the United States organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Counseling Association, World Health Organization, American Medical Association, and many others, have been denounced by conversion therapy. This paper will explain the history of conversion therapy, the reasons it became one of the most disreputable pseudoscientific practices and treatments applied to the patients.

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History

Conversion therapy was invented over 30 years ago when homosexuality was believed to be a treatable mental disease (Haldeman, 2002). In 1899 a psychiatrist from Germany bragged at a hypnosis conference that he turned a gay man straight through a few trips to the brothel and 45 hypnosis sessions, which later kicked off a wonder that would be later named as “Conversion therapy.” (Blakemore, 2019). In the 19th century, homosexuality was considered sinful and criminal behavior, making it vital for gays to go through conversion therapy and become straight. Doctors and psychiatrists addressed homosexuality by labeling it in medical terms and tried to reverse it (George, 2016). Homosexuality was believed to result from various theories by the medical practitioners; for instance, Eugen Steinach stated that homosexuality arose from the men’s testicles (Blakemore, 2019). The theory by Eugen Steinach facilitated to testicle transplantation experiments, where men were castrated and implanted with heterosexual testicles. Other theorists such as Sigmund Freud indicated that people are born bisexual and homosexual persons’ turn gay due to mental conditioning (Lowrance, Roth, Kirkby, Murad & Cookson, 2016). For the correction of gay people, medical practitioners used electroconvulsive therapy and extreme techniques such as lobotomies for LGBTQ persons (Byne, 2016). For instance, Robert Galbraith utilized the shock method to stimulate the brain through heterosexual pornography and hired prostitutes, altering the sexual behavior of gays. In the 1960s and 1970s, gay rights made conversion therapy considered illegal as gays demanded equality (Blakemore, 2019). According to Blakemore (2019), in 1973, homosexuality was removed from DSM, where they started distancing themselves from the conversion therapy techniques. The faith-based groups and the self-proclaimed "experts" utilized the "reparative" methods like talk therapy to the exorcisms (Alempijevic et al., 2020). Therefore, through the faith-based groups, LGBTQ individuals became isolated from their friends and families and were requested to pray until their gay character subsided. Gays were told that their sexual behavior was sinful and unnatural, making them take prayers seriously as they were coached on the appropriate gender roles.

Reasons Conversion Therapy Became One of the Most Disreputable Pseudoscientific Practices

According to Veltman and Chaimowitz (2014), Conversion therapy is considered a type of stigmatization, discrimination, and social rejection of gays. The conversion therapy techniques constitute cruel behavior or torture, thus degrading the punishment or treatment acts. Some of these inhuman acts involve rape, force-feeding, beatings, deprivation of food, verbal abuse, isolation and confinement, and electrocution (Yoshida, Yamaguchi, Okumura, Tanahashi & Kodera, 2016). For instance, electroshock therapy for general anesthesia is considered a legal form of treatment for patients with life-threatening depression. Individuals taken through conversion therapy encounter cognitive deficits, amnesia, and disorientation, making them remain distressed (Adams et al., 2017). Medication utilized in conversion therapy leads to mental and physical defects as it is used against the individual’s consent or forcibly. In countries where conversion therapy is utilized forcibly, it leads to trauma, and psychological terror as anti-depressants and neuroleptics is used to mitigate people's sexual desire (Ludwig, 2016). The anti-depressants are administered due to the belief that mental disorder or psychosis is the cause of a person's sexual orientation or gender expression. The antipsychotic drugs can lead to mental slowing, movement disorders, memory issues, and weight gain that compound one's suffering and distress (Erickson-Schroth & Carmel, 2016).

Consequently, the psychotherapy or talks that are the significant forms of conversion therapy leads to suffering and psychological pain. The practices that involve conversion are demeaning, discriminatory, and humiliating as the combined effects result in guilt, shame, and worthlessness (Jacob, 2015). Injury resulting from conversion therapy begins by believing the person is diseased, sick, and abnormal because of their gender identity and sexual orientation that has to be treated (Sacks, 2011). People that have gone through conversion therapy experiences reduced self-esteem, depressive tendencies, and social isolation and intimacy challenges. Suicidal attempts and thoughts among the LGBT populations are higher among those undergoing conversion therapy (Alsultan & Peloquin, 2014). Therefore, there are increased cases of school dropout among the school going children and teenagers due to social isolation and social rejection among those encountering conversion therapy.

Treatment Applied to Patients as Conversion Therapy

The medical practitioners encourage societal members to utilize proper communication basics to LGBTQ individuals. Poor communication worsens the situation of LGBT individuals leading to care barriers that cause depression. Medical practitioners can avoid making assumptions about sexual orientation and gender identity since it negatively affects homosexuals and lesbians (Whitehead-Pleaux et al., 2012). For instance, individuals should use words that feel comfortable to the LGBT persons, minimizing depression. Whenever an individual takes a history of persons, they should not use abusive words or statements as they make the bi-sexual, gays, and lesbians feel insecure or uncomfortable. Health practitioners are advised not to use pronouns and terms that define one's gender to avoid being rude to transgender individuals, gays, and lesbians (Wright, Candy & King, 2018). Therefore, health care practitioners are encouraged to use pronouns if they are sure about the patients’ gender identity as it allows them to see their patients’ preferences.

Consequently, according to Kane (2013), when offering treatment to LGBT patients, medical practitioners are encouraged to avoid unnecessary questions that make the patients feel uncomfortable. LGBT individuals require to keep their personal and private lives private (Freud, 2012). Also, maintaining a non-judgmental attitude makes the patients feel safe as one keeps an open mind concerning different identities, behaviors, and expressions (Bernal & Coolhart, 2012). Therefore, it is wise for individuals to avoid disapproving LGBT persons, thus not sending provocative messages to patients.

Conclusion

Conversion therapy is ineffective and inherently repressive as it leads to severe mental and physical pain that has long-term effects on LGBT persons. Conversion therapy involves inhuman and cruel treatment whenever carried out forcibly, amounting to torture. States possess an obligation to prevent incitement towards the wrong treatment of the transgender, gays, and lesbians through Conversion Therapy. Also, the policymakers have to regulate the education and health services that might promote the conversion therapy towards the LGBT. Health practitioners need to understand that providing the conversion therapy perpetuates the social norms and conflicts in a society. Therefore, medical practitioners should discourage conducting conversion therapy as it results in detrimental effects among the patients.

Reference

Adams, N., Pearce, R., Veale, J., Radix, A., Castro, D., Sarkar, A., & Thom, K. C. (2017). Guidance and ethical considerations for undertaking transgender health research and institutional review boards adjudicating this research. Transgender Health, 2(1), 165-175. Retrieved from https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/trgh.2017.0012

Alempijevic, D., Beriashvili, R., Beynon, J., Birmanns, B., Brasholt, M., Cohen, J., & Fincanci, S. K. (2020). Statement on Conversion Therapy. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 101930. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1752928X20300366

Alsultan, A., & Peloquin, C. A. (2014). Therapeutic drug monitoring in the treatment of tuberculosis: an update. Drugs, 74(8), 839-854. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40265-014-0222-8

Bernal, A. T., & Coolhart, D. (2012). Treatment and ethical considerations with transgender children and youth in family therapy. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 23(4), 287-303. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08975353.2012.735594

Blakemore, E. (2019, June 28). Gay Conversion Therapy’s Disturbing 19th- Century Origins. History. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/news/gay-conversion-therapy-origins-19th-century

Byne, W. (2016). Regulations restrict the practice of conversion therapy. Retrieved from https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/lgbt.2016.0015?journalCode=lgbt

Erickson-Schroth, L., & Carmel, T. C. (2016). Transgender mental health. Psychiatric Annals, 46(6), 330-331. Retrieved from https://www.healio.com/psychiatry/journals/psycann/2016-6-46-6/%7B4ba09b0e-b99b-4a70-97ba-0a7b62a16a58%7D/transgender-mental-health

Freud, S. (2012). CONVERSION THERAPY. Retrieved from https://www.socialvibes.net/socialvi/

Haldeman, D. C. (2002). Gay rights, patient rights: The implications of sexual orientation conversion therapy. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 33(3), 260.

Jacob, J. A. (2015). Conversion therapy ineffective and inappropriate for LGBTQ youth. Jama, 314(20), 2121-2121. Retrieved from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2471557

Lowrance, W. T., Roth, B. J., Kirkby, E., Murad, M. H., & Cookson, M. S. (2016). Castration-resistant prostate cancer: AUA guideline amendment 2015. The Journal of Urology, 195(5), 1444-1452. Retrieved from https://www.auajournals.org/doi/full/10.1016/j.juro.2015.10.086