The Impact of Conversion Therapy
I wanted to write about a relevant event that is happening in our society but doesn't have a big spotlight on it. The topic of conversion therapy. It is relevant because we are currently living in an era where we are pushing towards the acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. I first found out about conversion therapy in 2018 when one of the singers I follow promoted the film Boy Erased. According to the official The Trevor Project organization, "conversion therapy...is any of several dangerous and discredited practices aimed at changing an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity" ("About Conversion Therapy"). The Trevor Project organization also states that conversion therapy does not work because "conversion therapy is premised on the false notion that being LGBTQ is a mental illness that should be cured"("About Conversion Therapy").
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| Image by Chickenonline from Pixabay |
When learning about the impact conversion therapy has had on art, I found out about Alex Cooper's story. Her story was featured in this article and I found it a powerful story. Her story was made into a Lifetime Film and it tells her experience in conversion therapy. I found her story extremely sad because her family sent her away to hide who she was. No one should ever be forced to hide who they are. When I do have time, I will definitely watch the film. After reading this article I was left thinking if there were other films that are focused on conversion therapy other than Boy Erased and found this article. This article included one other film that was new to me The Happy Prince. This article gives a general description of what The Happy Prince and Boy Erased are about. These films show the trauma that is inflicted with conversion therapy. Given that these are films, they inform a massive audience about conversion therapy.
Here is my link to my WOA Snap
This is a post that takes a current event and focuses on the art aspect of it. I support the banning of conversion therapy in the 50 states. I hope to one day see the whole world banning conversion therapy. I know that there are other countries that still consider gay marriage illegal and the whole topic being taboo. It is also a movement to ban conversion therapy. This movement impacts our society by showing that there is more harm than good being done in these individuals. We want our society to be inclusive and support them.
We see so many movements in our lifetime and we join into the action in accordance with our beliefs. These movements constantly change just like the world around us. Take for example the Black Lives Matter movement. It has been a movement that has been around for many decades but has been reignited due to our constant use of technology. We become more aware of what's going on in other states and countries and we jump in to support that movement. These movements are powerful and bring us together to fight for what we believe in. We create our own art to share with the world about our support for a movement.
Hello Jsmejia,
ReplyDeleteI wasn't aware that conversion therapy was still in use in the United States, although it exists in a milder form than it did a few decades ago, as I understand. In that regard, I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that it will fall out of use in the near future, not due to issues of legality but as the result of a shift in the societal view of homosexuality.
I agree with your stance here on the use of conversion therapy and that these works of art have shed light on the issue. It sounds like the films help make this dangerous and disturbing practice feel even more real to the viewer, which hopefully promotes positive change. I thought it was interesting to see how a lot of the works of art and articles led to one another and helped you understand this topic a bit better within the world of the arts; this kind of chain reaction is a good demonstration of how interconnected life and art really are.
ReplyDeleteI must admit that I am not overly invested in the LGBTQ sphere, despite having several close friends who identify as such. Thus, I am not nearly so horrified as you are at the suggestion of conversion therapy. However, I have my own set of reasons for taking issue with the process.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, I'd like to take a moment to consider the merit of the statement that "being LGBTQ is a mental illness that should be cured." Obviously, it is to be disagreed with -- but the reason why the statement is such a repulsive opinion should be noted and considered for the purposes of evaluating the morality of conversion therapy.
When one thinks of mental disorders, one can identify two broad categories: those who are dangerous to others, and those who are dangerous to themselves. No one believes the first, so I do not feel the need to exert the effort to spew the thousand reasons that is incorrect. Some do believe that LGBTQ individuals are dangerous to themselves, citing research on increased suicide rates among LGBTQ individuals to prove the point. However, forced conversion to any given gender is only going to cause resentment and even further self-loathing, so even though a problem may have been identified, gender conversion therapy may not be counted a solution.
The only caveat I can see is if gender conversion therapy is attended consensually by the individual in question, which would eliminate the resentment from the previously proposed exchange. This is obviously not the case in the media you said you consumed. So, for the purposes of your argument, I would say the proposition that gender conversion therapy should be banned is more or less sound. I would expand upon that, however, and ban all kinds of non-consensual therapy, since it infringes upon basic human freedoms regardless of whether or not the therapy is gender-related.