As a physician, it is important to make decisions based on medical evidence.

“What is conversion therapy? According to the Human Rights Campaign, “So-called ‘conversion therapy,’ sometimes known as ‘reparative therapy,’ is a range of dangerous and discredited practices that falsely claim to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. Such practices have been rejected by every mainstream medical and mental health organization for decades, but due to continuing discrimination and societal bias against LGBTQ people, some practitioners continue to conduct conversion therapy. Minors are especially vulnerable, and conversion therapy can lead to depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness and suicide.”

Fortunately, respected mainstream medical associations have called for banning conversion therapy. Here are a few of those statements:

• “The American Psychiatric Association does not believe that same-sex orientation should or needs to be changed, and efforts to do so represent a significant risk of harm by subjecting individuals to forms of treatment which have not been scientifically validated and by undermining self-esteem when sexual orientation fails to change. No credible evidence exists that any mental health intervention can reliably and safely change sexual orientation; nor, from a mental health perspective does sexual orientation need to be changed.”
• The American Medical Association opposes the use of “conversion therapy” for sexual orientation or gender identity.
• The Medical Society of Virginia at its 2018 annual meeting passed the following resolution: “Resolution 18-302: PROHIBITING CONVERSION THERAPY IN THOSE UNDER AGE 18. RESOLVED, that the MSV opposes the use of conversion therapy or any similar practice, including but not limited to reparative therapy, ex-gay therapy, or sexual orientation change efforts, in those under age 18.”

Three Virginia boards that regulate mental health professionals have banned the use of conversion therapy.

On a national level, more than 15 states and more than 50 cities have banned conversion therapy. On Sept. 10, Richmond City Council unanimously passed a resolution to support a ban on conversion therapy. The Virginia Board of Medicine is considering a ban.

  Supporters of conversion therapy and opponents of banning conversion therapy claim it is an affront to their religious freedom. The question is whether conversion therapy is a religious right or is an abuse. Let’s imagine if a young man comes to his parents who are both gay and reveals to his parents that he is “straight.” The parents immediately force him into a program to make him gay. Where would religious groups stand on that type of conversion therapy? Abuse is abuse. Yes, religious freedom is important but so is protecting our most vulnerable.

Most conversion therapy bans are addressed only until age 18; however, many adult survivors will tell you that the abuse often continues into adulthood. Examples are parents threatening that if their adult child doesn’t continue in the conversion therapy program, financial and living support might be withdrawn.

The bottom line is that almost every mainstream health care organization says conversion therapy not only is ineffective but causes great harm. Don’t take their word for it. In a recent Washington Post article — “Conversion therapy center founder who sought to turn LGBTQ Christians straight says he’s gay, rejects ‘cycle of self shame’ ” — McKrae Game, who founded Hope For Wholeness, a faith-based conversion therapy program, renounced the therapy and realized the harm he caused.

In addition, according to the article, “In 2014, nine former ‘ex-gay’ leaders signed an open letter denouncing conversion therapy as ‘ineffective and harmful’ and calling for an end to it. A Latter-day Saint counselor who practiced conversion therapy said in January that he is gay and that he ‘unequivocally renounces’ ex-gay ministry.”

The time has come to renounce this abusive and harmful practice, not only for minors but to pass legislation that bans conversion therapy once and for all.

Kenneth Olshansky,M.D.