Ending Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Change Efforts: Steps Professional Mental Health Associations Can Take

ABSTRACT

This study explored the steps or actions that therapists would like to see professional mental health associations take concerning gender identity change efforts (GICE) and sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE; also referred to as conversion therapy). Data were collected from 177 therapists utilizing an open-ended question from an online survey. A queer theory informed thematic analysis of the data revealed four themes tied to actions that professional mental health organizations can engage in, ranging from (a) acknowledging the unethicality of GICE and SOCE, (b) intervening to cease the current practice of GICE and SOCE, (c) preventing GICE and SOCE from being practiced in the future, and (d) engaging in transformation efforts to create change at systemic levels (e.g., policy, laws, organizations) to affirm lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) communities.

KEYWORDS:

• Conversion therapy
• gender identity change efforts
• LGBTQ affirmative therapy
• mental health associations
• sexual orientation change efforts

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).