A Counteroffensive Against Conversion Therapy in the Culture Wars

Abstract

The civil rights of LGBTQ persons throughout the U.S. are currently under attack by conservative right-wing extremists who would roll back antidiscrimination protections and prohibit access to care for trans youth, among other things. The exercise of religious freedom is often used as the basis for these initiatives, but these efforts are tantamount to the imposition of religious beliefs on vulnerable communities. The solution for LGBTQ persons offered by the extreme right wing is often sexual orientation/gender identity change efforts, or SOGICE, commonly known as so-called “conversion therapy,” despite the lack of efficacy and adverse consequences of these methods. SOGICE bans have been instituted in many jurisdictions because of potential harm to the public. Strategies for protecting such bans are discussed.