Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Research in Psychology
Year: 2024
DOI:
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Conversion Therapy Laws in the United States
Rachel Lofton
ABSTRACT:
“Conversion therapy, also known as “”sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE)”” or “”reparative therapy,”” involves practices attempting to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Widely discredited and deemed harmful by medical organizations such as the World Psychiatric Association and American Psychological Association (APA), conversion therapy is linked to adverse outcomes like depression, anxiety, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, and suicide. The APA, in its Resolution on Appropriate Affirmative Responses to Sexual Orientation Distress and Change Efforts (2009), concluded that same-sex attractions are normal, homosexuality is not a mental disorder, and SOCE is ineffective. While 22 states and Washington D.C. ban conversion therapy for minors, five states and one U.S. territory have partial bans, and four states limit local-level bans. Nineteen states and four U.S. territories lack laws or policies against conversion therapy. The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act reintroduced in June 2023, aims for a federal ban on conversion therapy. With 94 cosponsors, the bill classifies the provision of conversion therapy for compensation as fraudulent and unlawful. This poster critically analyzes existing policies and legislative landscapes on conversion therapy in the United States, proposing key recommendations for improved regulatory frameworks.”
keywords: conversion therapy, lgbt, youth policy, gender