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When Andrew came out to his parents at fourteen, neither of them responded with acceptance. Instead, they arranged for Andrew to see a therapist who promised to “fix” his sexual orientation.
“If me being straight was how I got their love and acceptance, I was like okay, I guess I’ll go,” he remembers. What Andrew didn’t realize at the time was that he was about to be subjected to a dangerous practice called conversion therapy.
There, Andrew was told that “there was something wrong with me for having these thoughts,” and instructed to suppress them. “I call it learned self-hate.”
We sat down with Andrew and five other conversion therapy survivors in the latest episode of our conversation series, “Sharing Space.” They opened up about their experiences in conversion therapy, how it impacted their mental health, and what they wish parents of LGBTQ+ young people knew about this harmful practice.
Why Survivors’ Stories Matter Now More Than Ever
Accredited organizations and research studies have shown time and time again that conversion or “reparative” therapy is not only ineffective, but also harmful to the mental health of LGBTQ+ people of all ages. LGBTQ+ youth who experienced conversion therapy were more than twice as likely to attempt suicide and more than 2.5 times more likely to report multiple suicide attempts in the past year.
Despite the very real dangers of this practice, threats of and exposure to conversion therapy have increased among LGBTQ+ youth in recent years. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is preparing to make a decision on Chiles v. Salazar in 2026, a case that threatens to lift restrictions on conversion therapy in Colorado and could open the door for other states to do the same in the future.
Listening to survivors’ first-hand stories can help us truly understand the devastating impact that conversion therapy has on young people and their families. And sharing their stories can help raise awareness about the dangers that “reparative” therapy poses.
“I left with clinical depression,” shares survivor Dr. Bobbie in “Sharing Space.” Dr. Bobbie attended conversion therapy after coming out as transgender, in hopes that it would help her maintain custody of her children. “What they’re doing is not therapy,” she says. “What it is is torture.”
To hear Dr. Bobbie, Andrew, and other survivors share their full stories, watch episode 3 of “Sharing Space.”
Additional Conversion Therapy Resources & Research
- Conversion Therapy Report
- Ending Conversion Therapy – Advocacy News
- Costs of Conversion Therapy – US Report
- New Study Finds Conversion Therapy, and its Associated Harms, Cost the U.S. an Estimated $9.23 Billion Annually
- What is International Day to End Conversion Therapy?
- So-Called “Conversion Therapy” and LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health
