The fact that conversion therapy is still legal is crazy to me. Just recently, once again, a teen was put through conversion therapy and attempted suicide as a result. Her story is making news as she tells her story in a book called Saving Alex. According to mic.com, "Saving Alex recounts [Alex's] eight months in conversion therapy, a suicide attempt and the cruel things the Mormon leadership of the therapy told her." Alex discusses how she was punched in the gut, and forced to wear a backpack full of rocks, among more torturous things.
It is completely unclear to me how these abusive practices go unnoticed and are legal. Conversion therapy does nothing more than tear families a part, destroy religious beliefs, and most importantly ruin the lives of young people who are suffering to find their identity and be accepted by those they love and trust. Not to mention, conversion therapy increases depression, anxiety, and suicide in teens (they are 8 times more likely to attempt suicide) who are already highly vulnerable to those symptoms (hrc). It is time for conversion therapy to be banned.
Articles: https://www.yahoo.com/style/teen-forced-wear-backpack-full-155600640.html
http://www.hrc.org/resources/the-lies-and-dangers-of-reparative-therapy
I had no idea about this incident, and honestly I'm shocked... I can't believe this hasn't gotten more media coverage. But then again, I guess I can. It was pretty painful to read this, but I'm so glad I have knowledge about the situation now. Thank you for sharing this, and thank you for your opinion.
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