...
By Kate Plummer
Senior US News Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A charity has warned of the increased emergence of conversion therapy, as the U.S. Supreme Court grapples with a decision on whether to overturn a ban on the practice in Colorado.
According to a study of 1,689 LGBTQ+ youth aged 13–24 by LGBTQ+ organization the Trevor Project, the proportion of people who have been exposed to conversion therapy—when therapists attempt to change a person's sexual orientation—has increased from 9 percent to 15 percent.
The group said this had a harmful impact on people's mental health, and it comes as the court hears a challenge to state bans on the practice.
Read More on News
Why It Matters
Legislators have long struggled with whether to permit conversion therapy. Defenders of such treatments say that it is the right of everyone to choose their sexual orientation, including in cases where they believe they want to change it.
...
However, there is debate about its potential impact on children. Licensed therapists are banned from giving it to minors in 22 states and in more than 100 municipalities in the U.S. It is banned for adults and minors in some countries, including Canada and Iceland.
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, a group that is involved in psychiatric research and the treatment of children, has said conversation therapies lack scientific credibility and could be harmful for those who receive them.
What To Know
The Trevor Project defined an experience with conversion therapy as one in which there were "threats or actual attempts to change one's sexual orientation or gender identity." The group said this included "experiences with health care professionals and religious or spiritual leaders."
The study found that the proportion of people who reported being threatened with the practice increased from 11 percent to 22 percent in a year, and the proportion of people who were subjected to it increased from 9 percent to 15 percent.
In the report, the Trevor Project said conversion therapy doubles the odds of suicide attempts and costs the U.S. billions in health costs.
The charity's survey comes as Supreme Court justices decide whether to overturn a conversion therapy ban in Colorado.
Kaley Chiles, a licensed counselor in the state, challenged the law on free speech grounds and has rejected the term conversion therapy.
Some justices indicated that the restriction is against rights to free speech, and state attorneys have said the therapy qualifies as health care.
Meanwhile, the survey also found that the proportion of LGBTQ+ young people reporting mental health issues, including anxiety and depression, over the last year. Rates of anxiety increased from 57 percent to 67 percent, while the rate of depression increased from 48 percent to 54 percent.
What People Are Saying
Jaymes Black, CEO of The Trevor Project. “While many of the findings in this study are devastating, they are not surprising. LGBTQ+ young people in this country continue to face elevated levels of stigma and political rhetoric, which take a serious toll on their mental health and well-being.”
Dr. Ronita Nath, Vice President of Research at The Trevor Project: “This report provides one of the first, and only, national-scale portraits of LGBTQ+ youth mental health in the U.S. that follows the same young people over time, rather than offering a one-time snapshot of their experiences. By linking repeated measures of risk and protection to later anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation, the study moves beyond prevalence to demonstrate which experiences precede changes in health. The size and diversity of this cohort of participants strengthens the relevance of our findings, and longitudinal evidence like this is essential for informing interventions that effectively support and improve mental health outcomes among LGBTQ+ youth.”
Colorado Solicitor General Shannon Stevenson told the court earlier this month: "People have been trying to do conversion therapy for a hundred years with no record of success. There is no study, despite the fact that people tried to advance this practice, that has ever shown that it has any chance of being efficacious.”
Chiles' attorney James Campbell told the court: "Colorado can’t prove harm because it hasn’t cited a study focusing on what’s at issue here – voluntary speech between a licensed professional and a minor."
What Happens Next
The Supreme Court's decision in the case is expected in June. Meanwhile, the Trevor Project is continuing to collect data about the experiences of LGBTQ+ youth in America.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines