What exactly does conversion therapy do? May be Triggering.

[SailorMars1994]

Hey everyone. I was curious, and this is mainly for the older members of this site. What is conversion therapy all about? I have heard that it is fake-therapy and that it causes harm but what do they actually do to try and ''change'' you. I know there are a lot of people here who have dealt with trans-feelings from a young age growing up in the 60s and such as well as straight and bi- trans people who back in those days would have been mistaken as gay cisgender people. I know that is is immoral, and thought it wasnt practiced in Canada but I was wrong. Only in Manitoba and Ontario is it banned. From what I have read it is totally banned from everyone in Manitoba  regardless of age and banned only to minors in Ontario, and anyone who tries to do conversion therapy in Ontario can not receive any provincial funding. For what ever reason I thought Newfoundland was planning a ban aswell.

But the question is besides it being manipulating and immoral, what are the practices they actually do?? Thanks!

[Devlyn]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_therapy

[PinkThorn682]

It's basically trying to torture someone in order to change their gender or sexuality.

And much like conventional torture, it doesn't actually work.

[FTMax]

Aversion therapy for "sexual/gender deviance". It doesn't work because these therapies want to address who/how you are, but can only have an effect on your behavior. They utilize negative stimuli to make you associate the negative stimulation with the target behavior.

Think of shock collars for dogs. You want to discourage barking, so you shock the dog when it barks. The dog will learn that barking=getting shocked, and will not do it anymore. That works, because it's a behavior that can be stopped.

Season 2 Episode 4 of American Horror Story has an example of what this looks like in a gay conversion scenario.

[Denise]

It really doesn't do anything as for gender dysphoria there are, apparently, physical differences in the brain.  You can't convert/fix/... It's not broken.  Just different.

There's an old joke:

Why shouldn't you try to teach a pig to sing?

Because it wastes your time and annoys the pig.

[Kylo]

They utilize negative stimuli to make you associate the negative stimulation with the target behavior.

Makes me think of the "Ludovico Technique".

[SailorMars1994]

Aww ok. I knew it didnt work was just curious about what flawed methods they use. Thanks!

[audreytn]

basically tries to guilt the person into stopping their behavior. its horrible.

[SailorMars1994]

basically tries to guilt the person into stopping their behavior. its horrible.

Odd. Why do faux doctors want to do that when society has been doing that for a very long time. These so called Dr.s almost sound like ambulance ->-bleeped-<-s.

[Deborah]

I believe that many want to do that because accepting that being LGBT is innate totally invalidates their own religious worldview.  Therefore, in order to validate their dogmas they must demonstrate that being LGBT is malleable. 

Accepting that the dogmas one has been immersed in their entire life may be built on shifting sand is not an easy thing to do.


Conform and be dull. —James Frank Dobie, The Voice of the Coyote

[Angela Drakken]

Odd. Why do faux doctors want to do that when society has been doing that for a very long time. These so called Dr.s almost sound like ambulance ->-bleeped-<-s.

The sad truth is a lot of families come BEGGING for these witch doctors to 'fix' their son or daughter and money is no object... I thibk the worst example of this in the United States was owned an operated by a supposed 'reformed homosexual' Mr Donnie Davies. Made famous by his hit song 'God Hates (homophobic expletive.)'

His treatment and methods he endorsed and practiced himself were more akin to demonic exorcism rather than medical procedure. He is affiliated with an organization Love Gods Way and he is also the spokesperson for C.H.O.P.s
(Changing homosexuals into ordinary people.)

Donnie Davies is obviously not his real name and he seems to have fallen off the radar of late. (For good reason, a hateful git like that and any organization they represent should fall into obscurity. Id be ashamed of spreading that sort of message under my real name too.)

Conversion therapy is still very real. Frighteningly real.

[SailorMars1994]

Thats all nasty, Hopefully one day a world wide ban will happen

[Angela Drakken]

Thats all nasty, Hopefully one day a world wide ban will happen

I cant see that happening when its still common practice in some less developed countries to round us all up and stone us to death. Or imprison us for life..

[AnneK]

I believe that many want to do that because accepting that being LGBT is innate totally invalidates their own religious worldview.  Therefore, in order to validate their dogmas they must demonstrate that being LGBT is malleable.

Of course, in doing that, they ignore their claim we're all made in "God's image".  So, I guess they don't want to accept God is trans.   

[Devlyn]

Of course, in doing that, they ignore their claim we're all made in "God's image".  So, I guess they don't want to accept God is trans.   

  + 1 for that!

Hugs, Devlyn

[Denise]

Of course, in doing that, they ignore their claim we're all made in "God's image".  So, I guess they don't want to accept God is trans.   [emoji23]

I love this phrase I heard recently:
If your God hates the same people you do, then you have done a good job making God in YOUR image.

[audreytn]

the found of gay conversion therapy is dead. Just happened recently.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/founder-ex-gay-conversion-therapy-joseph-nicolosi-dead-70-article-1.2995345

[JMJW]

From what I understand they try to find a chink in your armour to exploit. Any uncertainty. They look into your past for trauma or for masculine (FTM) or feminine  (MTF) events and assign causation. If they deem you too close to your mother or father or the fact that they let you indulge in non stereotypical gender behaviour they will try to convince you that such behaviour caused the trans identity.  They will encourage others to misgender and to strongly discourage the desired gender expression.

[AnneK]

Thomas Aquinas Psychological Clinic

With a name like that, it's probably run by some religious, likely Catholic, organization.

[Colleen_definitely]

Odd. Why do faux doctors want to do that when society has been doing that for a very long time. These so called Dr.s almost sound like ambulance ->-bleeped-<-s.

Because highly motivated twits can make it through a PhD program or med school if they apply themselves.