Understanding Prevalence and Experiences of the Survivors

This research brief discusses the prevalence, demographics, and mental health of “conversion therapy” survivors in the American South from the LGBTQ Institute Southern Survey dataset.

“Conversion therapy” is any attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. However, because the practice has come under increasing scrutiny, providers frequently change their terminology to avoid detection. (GLAAD)

Those more likely to have endured it include respondents who were younger, transgender, non-cisgender, lesbian, Hispanic, less educated, and less religious at the time of taking the survey. Respondents who went through it are more likely to experience a serious mental illness. These results are significant because few other studies have researched the LGBTQ community in the South or reported on the prevalence and demographics of conversion therapy survivors. Indeed, all forms of “conversion therapy” on minors is still completely legal in 29 US states, including 13 of the 14 states sampled in the Southern Survey.