Conversion therapy
Conversion therapy is banned in 26 countries.
Conversion therapy
"Conversion therapy" or "reparative therapy" is a pseudoscientific practice of attempting to "convert" or "repair" an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity. The concept is found on the assumption that sexual orientation can be changed and that anything other than homosexual and cisgender is "abnormal."
Conversion therapy is often conducted by religious groups with the use prayer and other religious efforts and teachings. While some individuals may to undergo this therapy volunteer, many children are forced into it by their parents. Many medical and psychologist groups have officially condemned this type of harmful "therapy." Some studies have shown that the process can sometimes lead to depression, self-harm, and even suicide.
The practice of attempting to "cure" homosexuality dates back at least to 1888 when a German psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing used hypnotic suggestion therapy to turn a gay man straight. In the past few decades, countries, provinces, and states have begun outlawing conversion therapy.
Summary
Timeline of conversion therapy
Recent & Upcoming Changes
Upcoming Changes
2024
- KentuckyBannedSeptember 18
- MexicoBannedJune 8
- GuerreroBannedMay 22
- PeruBannedMay 12
- PortugalBannedMarch 1
2023
- MorelosBannedDecember 15
- Quintana RooBannedDecember 15
- NorwayBannedDecember 12
- EnglandNot bannedNovember 7
- WalesNot bannedNovember 7
- Not bannedNovember 7
- BelgiumBannedOctober 28
- SinaloaBannedJuly 27
- QuerétaroBannedJune 29
- IcelandBannedJune 9
- CyprusBannedMay 25
2022
- SpainBannedDecember 22
- Nuevo LeónBannedDecember 21
- SonoraBannedDecember 6
- ParaguayBannedNovember 7
- PennsylvaniaBannedAugust 16
- VietnamBannedAugust 3
- HidalgoBannedJune 7
- PueblaBannedJune 2
- Baja CaliforniaBannedMay 26
- GreeceBannedMay 11
- JaliscoBannedApril 6
- New ZealandBannedFebruary 19
- IsraelBannedFebruary 14
- RéunionBannedJanuary 26
- FranceBannedJanuary 26
- French Southern TerritoriesBannedJanuary 25
- French GuianaBannedJanuary 25
- New CaledoniaBannedJanuary 25
- French PolynesiaBannedJanuary 25
- GuadeloupeBannedJanuary 25
- MartiniqueBannedJanuary 25
- Saint Pierre and MiquelonBannedJanuary 25
- AlbertaBannedJanuary 7
- CanadaBannedJanuary 7
- CatalunyaBannedJanuary 1
Conversion therapy by Country
Banned
Conversion therapy is banned in 26 regions.
Sexual orientation only
Conversion therapy is sexual orientation only in 3 regions.
- Asia (1)
- Turkmenistan 2012
Not banned
Conversion therapy is not banned in 156 regions.
- Asia (36)
- Afghanistan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Bhutan
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- China
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan 1991
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon 2013
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mongolia
- Myanmar
- Nepal 2015
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palestine 2014
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- South Korea
- Sri Lanka
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Yemen
- Europe (36)
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia 2002
- Finland
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Kosovo
- Latvia 2017
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania 2015
- Luxembourg 2017
- Moldova 2014
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Poland
- Romania
- Russia
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Slovakia 2018
- Slovenia
- Sweden
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- Vatican City
- North America (18)
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Costa Rica
- Cuba 2013
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- El Salvador
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Haiti
- Honduras 2016
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Africa (52)
- Algeria
- Angola
- Benin
- Botswana 2016
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Comoros
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mauritius 2017
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Republic of the Congo
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Data on conversion therapy is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 12 regions.
- Africa (1)
- Mauritania
- Oceania (1)
- Australia Varies by Region
- Antarctica (1)
- Antarctica N/A
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