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Stuff You Should Know

Selects: How Conversion Therapy Doesn't Work

Published November 8, 2025
View Show Notes

About This Episode

The hosts examine the history, methods, and impact of conversion therapy, also known as reparative or ex-gay therapy, which claims to change a person's sexual orientation from gay to straight. They trace its roots from early pseudo-scientific psychological practices to its adoption by the Christian right as a major culture-war issue, and detail why the medical and psychological communities now condemn it as ineffective and harmful. The episode also covers specific abuse stories, research findings on mental health risks, legal efforts to ban conversion therapy for minors, and the movement's public unraveling through high-profile ex-gay leaders who later renounced it.

Topics Covered

Conversion therapy Mental health Trauma Therapy Religion and spirituality Identity Suicide prevention Cult dynamics U.S. politics and elections Parenting and child development

Disclaimer: We provide independent summaries of podcasts and are not affiliated with or endorsed in any way by any podcast or creator. All podcast names and content are the property of their respective owners. The views and opinions expressed within the podcasts belong solely to the original hosts and guests and do not reflect the views or positions of Summapod.

Quick Takeaways

  • Conversion therapy is based on the unproven belief that all people are born heterosexual and can be "steered" away from or back to straightness through psychological or religious intervention.
  • Major medical and psychological organizations, including the APA and AMA, state there is no evidence that sexual orientation can be changed and clear evidence that attempts to do so cause serious harm.
  • Historically, conversion efforts have included extreme measures such as electroshock, lobotomies, testicular transplants, aversive conditioning with nausea drugs, and intense shame-based tactics.
  • The Christian right adopted the ex-gay movement in the late 20th century as a major front in the culture war, with some organizations and even the 2016 Republican Party platform embracing conversion therapy.
  • Survivors of conversion therapy report outcomes like depression, shame, loss of faith, social withdrawal, substance abuse, and increased suicidality, with LGB teens who undergo such efforts being three times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual peers.
  • Legal bans in many U.S. states now prohibit licensed professionals from performing conversion therapy on minors, though religious and unlicensed providers often remain untouched by these laws.
  • High-profile ex-gay leaders and organizations, such as Exodus International and its president Alan Chambers, have eventually admitted that conversion therapy does not work and publicly apologized for the harm caused.
  • Media outlets historically presented conversion therapy in an even-handed, "both sides" way, which the hosts argue helped legitimize a practice now widely viewed as junk science and fraud.

Podcast Notes

Intro and framing of conversion therapy topic

Chuck's Saturday Selects intro and basic definition

Chuck introduces the replayed episode and defines conversion therapy in plain terms[1:28]
• He says the episode is titled "How Conversion Therapy Doesn't Work" and originally aired in November 2019
• He describes conversion therapy as when parents try to make their LGBTQ child "not that," and asserts "it's just not possible"
Chuck's stance and tone[1:26]
• He says this is the "most important episode" about conversion therapy and reacts with "Boo" to the concept
• He tells listeners if they don't enjoy the episode to "keep it to yourself," signaling a clear moral stance against conversion therapy

Opening of main episode and challenge of objectivity

Acknowledging bias against conversion therapy

Hosts admit they find it hard to be neutral on this topic[2:58]
• One host says he might not do a great job of being even-handed and calls that his "CYA"
Critique of media's past even-handed coverage[3:23]
• They note that media coverage has often described conversion therapy as a "controversial therapy" rather than calling it a scam or junk science
• They emphasize that conversion therapy is "super harmful" and should be framed that way

Idea for a future episode on media 'both-sides' coverage

Hosts discuss whether the media should treat all sides equally[3:52]
• They worry that equal treatment might perpetuate ignorance if one side is baseless, but unequal treatment might seem to support authoritarianism or "fascism"
• They describe this as a "hornet's nest" and express interest in researching it via existing think pieces

Crediting researcher and setting up the topic

They credit writer Julia Layton for putting the material together[4:28]
• They mention additional historical research they dug up beyond Julia's work
Initial definition and labels for conversion therapy[4:49]
• They state the practice is called conversion therapy, reparative therapy, or ex-gay therapy
• They note that "reparative therapy" is trademarked by psychologist Joseph Nicolosi Sr.

What conversion therapy claims and who promotes it

Core theory behind conversion therapy

Claim that everyone is born heterosexual[5:28]
• They explain conversion therapy is based on the idea that "all people are born heterosexual"
Explanation of how it claims people 'become' gay[5:25]
• Proponents argue that past traumas and family dynamics can "accidentally" steer someone into homosexuality
• They say conversion therapists believe people can be "purposefully steered back" and "cured" to heterosexuality

Alignment with the Christian right and Republican politics

Appeal to fundamentalist Christian right[6:07]
• The hosts explicitly state conversion therapy is "very popular with the fundamentalist Christian right" and that this is overt, not speculative
Integration into political platforms and culture wars[7:09]
• They say the Christian right has adopted the ex-gay movement as one of the planks in its platform for social change
• They note conversion therapy was officially part of the 2016 Republican Party platform, which has been called the most anti-LGBTQ platform in U.S. history
• They describe conversion therapy as a major "front in the culture war" comparable in importance to abortion for the Christian right
Lack of scientific evidence for efficacy[7:30]
• They state there is "no scientific evidence whatsoever" that converting someone from gay to straight is possible

Early cultural and religious attitudes toward 'gayness'

Church anecdote showing fear of dancing and sexuality

Chuck's church camp story about stomping feet[7:51]
• At a mainstream Baptist church camp, kids were told to stomp feet to music but "don't alternate feet" because that was "too close to dancing"
• They note this wasn't an extreme fringe church but a fairly mainstream environment

19th- and early 20th-century origins in psychology and medicine

Early hypnotic and medical interventions

Hypnosis case in 1899[8:21]
• They reference a History.com article by Erin Blakemore titled "Gay Conversion Therapy's Disturbing 19th Century Origins"
• In 1899, a German hypnotist claimed to have turned a gay man straight after 45 hypnosis sessions and other therapies
Assumed family and community abuse before formal 'therapy'[9:21]
• They infer that before formal conversion therapies, effeminate boys were likely beaten by parents and shunned by communities

Pathologizing homosexuality and resulting shame

Homosexuality framed as something 'wrong' to fix[9:18]
• They highlight that a hallmark of this history is the idea that there is "something wrong" with someone if they are gay
• This framing leads individuals to seek help to become straight and, when they inevitably fail, to feel shame, guilt, and inadequacy
Ethical concerns with minors and coercion[9:41]
• They note that when minors are forced into these therapies by parents, it raises "a whole other can of worms" of ethical dilemmas

Extreme early medical techniques

Electroconvulsive therapy, lobotomies, and testicular transplants[10:05]
• They mention electroconvulsive therapy and lobotomies being used to try to change sexual orientation, remarking that lobotomies were used for "anything" at one point
• They describe endocrinologist Eugene Steinach's theory that "gay testicles" caused homosexuality and that swapping them for "straight" testicles might cure it
• They say they couldn't find clear evidence on whether 1920s-era testicular transplants medically "took" or how often they failed, but agree they didn't change orientation

Aversive conditioning methods

Use of nausea-inducing chemicals and aversive imagery[13:47]
• Some practitioners gave chemicals to make patients retch and vomit while looking at same-sex imagery or pictures of a same-sex partner
• They explain this as overt sensitization or aversive conditioning, aimed at creating revulsion toward same-sex attraction or cross-dressing
• They note sadly that such techniques have been used even with images of a person's actual same-sex partner whom they love
Some aversive methods reportedly persist[14:18]
• Josh remarks that some of these aversive techniques still go on today

Shift in professional psychology and APA declassification

Psychologists begin to reject conversion approaches[14:43]
• Over time, gay and straight psychologists concluded that conversion efforts were scientifically incorrect and ethically wrong
1973 APA decision on homosexuality[15:06]
• In 1973, the American Psychiatric Association stopped classifying homosexuality as a mental disorder
• They note part of the population reacted by asking why it took so long, given it was already 1973
• After this, mainstream psychology stopped researching how to "cure" homosexuality, seeing no disorder to treat
Revival of conversion efforts through Christian right[15:46]
• They state that in the 1980s, the Christian right began to adopt and revive conversion therapy concepts

Types of conversion therapy settings and Nicolosi's reparative model

Licensed vs unlicensed/religious settings

Two main contexts for conversion therapy[19:07]
• They distinguish between conversion therapy done by licensed therapists and that done in basements or church settings by unlicensed religious advisors

Joseph Nicolosi and reparative therapy

Nicolosi's role and Amazon's response[19:34]
• Nicolosi, a trained psychologist, trademarked "reparative therapy" and devoted his career to trying to cure gay people
• They mention that in July 2019 Amazon stopped carrying his works, saying they promote fraud
Nicolosi's environmental theory of same-sex attraction[19:34]
• He claimed same-sex attraction (SSA) stems from environmental conditions such as desire for adventure, peer acceptance, loneliness or boredom, need for male approval, general rebellion, or sexual molestation by another male
• They point out that the belief that molestation leads to being gay is widespread but incorrect

Use of 1992 adolescent study and 'get them young' mentality

Minnesota high school study on sexual confusion[20:48]
• Nicolosi cited a 1992 Journal of Pediatrics study on Minnesota high school students, which found younger teens were more sexually confused and older teens more settled in orientation
Nicolosi's extrapolation and strategy[20:53]
• He interpreted the study to mean early adolescence is a risky, malleable phase where kids can be "veered" off a natural heterosexual path into homosexuality
• This led to a mentality of "we've got to get them while they're young" to prevent or reverse same-sex attraction

Family triad model and lack of evidence

Domineering mother, passive father, sensitive child triad[21:55]
• Nicolosi promoted a family model where a domineering, over-attentive mother, a passive, detached father, and a sensitive child almost guarantee a gay child without intervention
• The hosts stress there is no evidence that this triad actually causes homosexuality

Uncertainty about origins of sexual orientation and misuse

Current scientific uncertainty exploited by conversion advocates[21:48]
• They note science hasn't definitively answered whether people are "born gay" or develop orientation later, though evidence suggests a genetic basis
• Because of this uncertainty, conversion advocates exploit the gap to argue orientation might be changeable

Therapeutic framing vs identity change

Nicolosi's description of the therapeutic relationship

Seemingly innocuous therapeutic language[23:19]
• They read from Nicolosi describing a client seeking to reduce "unwanted attractions" and explore "heterosexual potential" in a collaborative therapeutic relationship
• This language can sound benign to casual readers because it mirrors legitimate therapy phrasing

Core ethical problem: trying to change identity rather than affirm it

Contrast with how therapy handles race or straightness[25:57]
• They argue that if someone came in wanting to stop being Black, white, Hispanic, or straight, an ethical therapist would not try to change that core identity
• Instead, proper therapy focuses on helping clients own and value their identity, whereas conversion therapy accepts the premise that being gay is a problem to eradicate
AMA/APA position that orientation is a normal variation[25:34]
• They note that as part of declassifying homosexuality, the APA said it is a "normal variation" in sexual orientation, and like other orientations, cannot be changed
• This implies you can't make a straight person gay any more than you can make a gay person straight, directly undermining conversion therapy claims

Socio-political context: civil rights, Christian right, and masculinity

Rise of gay visibility and backlash

1960s gay rights and conversion movement response[32:37]
• They say conversion therapy in the modern U.S. took shape in the 1960s as civil rights and gay visibility grew, including bars and Stonewall
• As homosexuality became more accepted, an opposing side "rooted down and dug in," fueling the ex-gay movement

Robinson & Spivey on Christian right ideology

Christian right's fear of decadence and collapse[33:33]
• They cite a 2007 Gender & Society article by Robinson and Spivey, which found the Christian right saw homosexuality and feminism as signs of a decadent society that could cause collapse
Masculinity as perceived antidote[34:05]
• Robinson & Spivey described masculinity as the perceived antidote to homosexuality and feminism, with men expected to be strong leaders over women and children
• The hosts mention hearing sermons instructing "wives, submit to your husbands" and urging fathers to stop being passive and lead the family
• Mothers were encouraged to defer to fathers by saying things like "ask your father" to reinforce male authority

Connection back to family triad and gay sons

Father leadership as prevention of homosexuality[34:51]
• They link this ideology back to the triad, suggesting Christian right thinking holds that if the father isn't dominant, that's "where the trouble comes from" and can produce homosexual children

Emotional difficulty of researching conversion therapy

Hosts share personal reactions to research

Describing research experience as disturbing[39:42]
• Josh says this was "really hard" to research and likens it to turning over a log and finding maggots writhing underneath
• Both hosts admit to procrastinating and avoiding the material because it was so sad, especially the treatment of vulnerable adolescents

Sadness over both harmed youth and obsessed adults

Harm to children and teens[40:37]
• They describe children being told at their most vulnerable time that they are wrong, sinful, and dirty as particularly heartbreaking
Sadness about adults devoting energy to erasing others[41:13]
• Josh says it's equally sad that adults devote so much thought and effort to trying to change others into what they think people should be
• He characterizes the ex-gay movement as a social movement dedicated to eradicating another group of people, which he finds very hard to accept

Scope and methods of modern conversion therapy

Prevalence and global context

Estimate of affected people in the U.S.[41:43]
• They cite an estimate that close to 700,000 people in the United States have undergone conversion therapy
Mention of global hot spots[41:27]
• They say conversion therapy is a "real problem" in parts of Africa, Asia, and South America, mentioning Uganda as an example where being gay can lead to imprisonment

Distinction between licensed and religious providers

Licensed therapists vs religious advisors[41:46]
• They reiterate that conversion efforts in the U.S. are sometimes carried out by licensed therapists and sometimes by religious advisors in church or basement settings

Harmful techniques and survivor horror stories

AMA warning about harmful techniques[42:26]
• They quote the AMA stating that conversion programs may utilize harmful psychological techniques and give noxious stimuli
• They reference Robert Galbraith Heath, who implanted electrodes in the brain to deliver shocks as part of attempts to cure homosexuality
Examples of contemporary aversive methods[43:53]
• Some reported methods include giving nausea-inducing medication while pairing it with same-sex imagery or masturbation fantasies about men
Extreme shame-based and symbolic punishments[44:19]
• One teen reported being forced to wear a backpack with 40 pounds of rocks for 18 hours a day to represent the burden of being gay
• Another person's family held a fake closed-casket funeral, declaring he had died of AIDS and saying goodbye while he watched, to dramatize the consequences of a "sinful" path
• Some were told to strip naked in front of a mirror and say disparaging things about themselves
• One survivor said the process is designed to break you down completely and then build you back up in the image the program wants

Less overtly abusive 'masculinity coaching' approaches

Programs focused on masculinity and male bonding[45:36]
• Some programs claim not to abuse participants but frame homosexuality as misdirected need for male bonding or peer acceptance
• They teach participants to form non-sexual male friendships and emphasize stereotypical masculine skills
Gender-normative skills training[47:40]
• Reported activities include teaching men to change the oil in a car, chop wood, avoid crossing their legs, paint a house, or use a shovel
• They quote sexologist Gerhard van den Aardweg saying homosexual men must unlearn avoidance of manual labor like chopping wood or painting houses
End goal of marriage and children[47:40]
• These gentler programs emphasize becoming a wood-chopping, football-throwing man who marries and has children, even if same-sex attraction remains

Case study: George Rekers and the punished four-year-old

Rekers' 1974 experiment and methods

Subject and 'cross-gender identity' label[47:49]
• Psychologist George Rekers in 1974 studied a four-and-a-half-year-old boy whose parents brought him in for "childhood cross-gender identity" based on clothing and behavior
• The hosts note that in hindsight the child might have been transgender or gender-fluid, but the original description is hard to parse
Training the mother as 24/7 therapist[49:00]
• Rekers trained the boy's mother to punish feminine behaviors and reward masculine ones continuously at home
• They report that researchers claimed the boy stopped feminine behaviors when punished and switched to rewarded masculine activities
Tragic outcome: suicide at 30[49:26]
• The subject later died by suicide at age 30, which the hosts cite as the real end result of this "success" story
• They argue the experiment shows that while behavior can be conditioned, the deep identity damage can be catastrophic

Distinguishing behavior suppression from orientation change

Conversion therapy may change behavior but not orientation[50:23]
• They concede that some techniques might prevent someone from acting on homosexual impulses, but stress this does not change their underlying sexuality
• They argue that training people not to act on their sexuality is itself damaging and creates other problems

Science, health risks, and professional condemnations

2009 APA Task Force report

Critical health risks listed by APA[51:06]
• They summarize a 2009 APA Task Force report which concluded that sexual orientation change efforts pose "critical health risks" to lesbian, gay, and bisexual people
• Reported outcomes include depression, guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, shame, self-hatred, hostility, dehumanization, betrayal, social withdrawal, substance abuse, stress, sexual dysfunction, loss of faith, and suicidality

Suicide risk statistics for LGB teens

Higher attempt rates and impact of rejection and therapy[51:51]
• They state homosexual teens attempt suicide more often than heterosexual teens
• Within that group, LGB teens are twice as likely to attempt suicide if rejected by parents and three times as likely if they have undergone conversion therapy, compared to heterosexual teens

Broader professional consensus and fraud framing

Two main reasons professional bodies condemn conversion therapy[52:26]
• Multiple medical and psychological associations have condemned conversion therapy, saying there is no scientific evidence it can change orientation
• They also emphasize there is evidence that attempting change causes damage, so practitioners should not do it
Legal reasoning that it constitutes fraud[53:21]
• They explain that if something is impossible, and you charge for doing it, that is fraud; this logic underpinned civil suits against some practitioners

High-profile ex-gay leaders and collapse of major organizations

Late 1990s ad campaign and Exodus International

1998 church-backed ad campaign featuring ex-gay couple[53:56]
• Around 1998, a coalition of church groups funded a ~$600,000 ad campaign in major newspapers featuring "ex-gay" couple John and Anne Polk, promoting conversion success
• At the time there was little counter-coverage highlighting that conversion therapy was discredited, so the campaign drew wide attention
Exodus International and NARTH as twin pillars[54:52]
• They describe Exodus International as the "spiritual" arm of the ex-gay movement, and NARTH (National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality) as the scientific arm
• Exodus International became a prominent organization, with John Polk as a poster boy and leader before his scandal

John Polk's outing and later life

Scandal at a gay bar and initial denial[55:23]
• In 2000, John Polk was photographed leaving a gay bar in Washington, D.C.; he admitted being there but claimed he went in to use the bathroom or ask for directions and didn't know it was a gay bar
Subsequent acknowledgment and current status[55:51]
• The hosts say Polk now lives as a gay man and works as a chef, having appeared on some celebrity chef shows

Other scandals: Michael Johnston and Ted Haggard

Michael Johnston infecting partners with HIV[56:43]
• Michael Johnston, founder of National Coming Out of Homosexuality Day, was later found to have sex with men he met online and infected them with HIV
Ted Haggard's meth and sex scandals[57:04]
• Ted Haggard, then president of the National Association of Evangelicals and vocal anti-gay preacher, was accused in 2006 of having a three-year relationship involving crystal meth and sex with a man
• Haggard admitted buying crystal meth but claimed he threw it away without using it; the accuser said they did large amounts of meth and had sex frequently
• Haggard was later accused of a sexual relationship with an underage boy; the boy sued and the church settled for about $180,000
• By 2011 Haggard publicly identified as bisexual but said he chose to live as a faithful heterosexual husband

Alan Chambers shuts down Exodus International

Leadership transition and eventual apology[59:07]
• After Polk's scandal, Alan Chambers took over Exodus International
• About a decade later, Chambers publicly acknowledged that he was gay, stated that conversion therapy does not work, apologized to the LGBTQ community, and shut down Exodus International

Legal responses and court rulings

State bans focused on minors and licensed professionals

Scope of current bans as of 2019[1:01:09]
• As of 2019, they report that 18 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico have enacted bans on conversion therapy for minors
• These bans are described as targeting licensed professionals-psychologists, counselors, and medical doctors-who can lose their licenses for practicing conversion therapy on minors
Religious counselors and unlicensed practitioners largely unaffected[1:01:39]
• They emphasize that most laws do not cover preachers, youth counselors, or unlicensed church-based therapists, so religious conversion efforts can continue

Jonah case and fraud finding

New Jersey case against Jonah and its founders[1:02:09]
• In New Jersey, a Jewish conversion organization called JONAH (Jews Offering a New Alternative for Healing), run by Goldberg and Berk (or Burke), was found to be practicing conversion therapy
• Their licenses were revoked, and they lost a civil fraud suit brought by former patients, resulting in a judgment of roughly $3.5 million
• The hosts note that JONAH quickly re-opened under another name in the same year as the verdict

Free speech challenges and court reasoning

Distinction between speech and therapeutic practice[1:01:45]
• They mention cases in California and New Jersey where bans were upheld despite challenges on free speech grounds
• A judge in one case said the law did not infringe free speech because therapists can say what they want but cannot perform a harmful therapy as part of licensed practice

New York City's overbroad ban and strategic repeal

NYC adult-inclusive ban and resulting lawsuit[1:02:59]
• New York City passed a broader law banning conversion therapy for both minors and adults, which led to a lawsuit
Fear of adverse Supreme Court ruling[1:03:02]
• The city feared that a more conservative Supreme Court might use the case to strike down all conversion therapy bans, so it repealed the law to avoid that test
• They note the Supreme Court has previously declined to hear at least one case, effectively allowing a state ban to stand

Cultural portrayals and resources

Film depiction of conversion therapy

The Miseducation of Cameron Post[1:05:07]
• They mention the 2018 film "The Miseducation of Cameron Post," based on a 2012 novel by Emily Danforth, about a girl who undergoes conversion therapy
• They note the movie stars Chloë Grace Moretz and centers on a conversion camp experience

Encouragement to research topic further

Prompt for listeners to explore more information[1:05:47]
• They suggest listeners can research "conversion therapy horror stories" online to see numerous survivor accounts

Listener mail: 'an historic district' and language prescriptivism

Pedantic complaint about indefinite article usage

Email criticizing 'an historic' instead of 'a historic'[1:05:58]
• A listener named Joe complains that Josh repeatedly said "an historic district" instead of "a historic district" in a previous episode
• Joe calls the practice infuriating, cites that "h" is a consonant so the article should be "a," and says Cockneys might be an exception because of dropped h's

Hosts' discussion of grammar rules vs real usage

Questioning whether 'an historic' is wrong[1:06:52]
• Josh suggests he usually doesn't say "an historic" and implies he may have been unconsciously correct or following a variant rule
Descriptivist vs prescriptivist approaches[1:07:12]
• They contrast prescriptivists, who insist on fixed rules like Joe, with descriptivists, who describe how people actually speak
• They joke that both forms may be acceptable and advise Joe not to focus on "such stupid stuff" too much

Show sign-off

Contact info and reminder of podcast home[1:08:28]
• They invite listeners with gripes or praise to visit stuffyoushouldknow.com for social links or email stuffpodcast@iheartmedia.com

Lessons Learned

Actionable insights and wisdom you can apply to your business, career, and personal life.

1

Trying to change someone's core sexual orientation is not only ineffective, it inflicts deep psychological harm; ethical help focuses on self-acceptance rather than identity erasure.

Reflection Questions:

  • • Where in your own life have you tried to change something fundamental about yourself or someone else instead of learning to accept it?
  • • How might your approach to supporting friends or family members shift if you focused on helping them own their identity rather than "fixing" it?
  • • What is one situation this week where you could consciously choose acceptance over control in how you relate to another person?
2

Practices that are dressed up in scientific or therapeutic language can still be junk science or fraud if they promise impossible outcomes or ignore clear evidence of harm.

Reflection Questions:

  • • What services or "treatments" in your world are framed with expert language but make claims that seem too good to be true?
  • • How could you build a habit of checking what reputable professional bodies actually say before trusting a controversial practice?
  • • Which current belief or practice of yours deserves a closer look to ensure it's grounded in solid evidence rather than comforting rhetoric?
3

Cultural and religious movements can harness personal pain and social anxiety to drive harmful campaigns against marginalized groups, even when those campaigns ultimately fail on their own terms.

Reflection Questions:

  • • When have you seen a group use fear about social change to justify harsh treatment of others?
  • • How might recognizing the broader cultural forces at work help you respond more thoughtfully when you encounter biased or exclusionary messages?
  • • What concrete step can you take to support a person or group that is currently being stigmatized in your community?
4

Legal and institutional safeguards matter: when professional associations and courts clearly label harmful practices as unethical or fraudulent, it creates real protection for vulnerable people.

Reflection Questions:

  • • In what areas of your life do you rely on professional standards or regulations without consciously thinking about them?
  • • How could you better use existing policies or institutions to challenge a harmful practice you've noticed at work, school, or in your community?
  • • What is one issue you care about where advocating for clearer standards or rules might meaningfully reduce harm?
5

Suicide and mental health statistics are not abstract; policies and family reactions directly affect whether struggling people feel they have a future worth staying for.

Reflection Questions:

  • • How do your reactions-spoken or unspoken-signal acceptance or rejection to people in your life who are different from you?
  • • If a young person you know confided something stigmatized, how would you respond in a way that lowers, not raises, their sense of isolation and risk?
  • • What specific change could you make in your language or behavior this month to ensure that people around you feel safer being who they are?

Episode Summary - Notes by Harper

Selects: How Conversion Therapy Doesn't Work
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