Examining 'Pray the Gay Away' Conversion Camps
Netflix's Pray Away exposes the dreadful consequences of religious conversion practices, necessitating an unequivocal prohibition.
Chronicling the operations of Exodus, a faith-based collective that promised LGBTQ+ individuals—and their kin—the capacity to transform their very being, is the focus of Netflix's latest documentary, Pray Away.
Portrayed within this pivotal film are individuals who survived the group's actions, as well as several of its former leaders, many of whom have since publicly repudiated the ‘church'.
It is perhaps tempting to dismiss conversion practices as historical phenomena; however, they remain a current reality, actively impacting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual persons throughout the entirety of the United Kingdom.
Consequently, what precisely constitutes conversion practices?
Essentially, conversion practices denote any intervention designed to modify an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity; their singular aim is to ‘cure' someone of being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, asexual, intersex, and/or queer.
Conversion practices operate unidirectionally; their explicit intent is to compel an individual to alter or nullify their sexual orientation or gender identity. This approach fundamentally contrasts with proper, affirming, and salutary therapeutic or counselling support, which aims to assist an individual in exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity, regardless of the eventual discovery.
For what reasons is a prohibition essential?
LGBTQIA+ individuals are not in need of a ‘cure'; moreover, interventions designed to render someone heterosexual or cisgender demonstrably inflict substantial, enduring damage upon those subjected to them. Given its abusive nature, conversion practice necessitates an outright prohibition, applicable universally across all environments and for every individual affected.
Absent a prohibition, conversion practices will invariably perpetuate the endangerment of our communities to irreparable psychological detriment. Data from the 2018 National LGBT Survey revealed that seven percent of LGBT+ individuals had either been presented with or participated in conversion therapy. Significantly, transgender participants exhibited nearly double the likelihood of experiencing or being proposed conversion therapy (at thirteen percent), concurrent with asexual individuals also facing an elevated susceptibility to being offered or undergoing such practices (amounting to ten percent).
In which locations within the United Kingdom are conversion practices currently taking place?It frequently astonishes individuals to discover the proximity between a victim of conversion practices and the individual or entity responsible for its perpetration. The Government's National LGBT Survey (conducted in 2018) indicated that a substantial proportion, specifically one-fifth (or nineteen percent), of those who underwent conversion therapy, received offers for it via healthcare and medical environments. Additionally, sixteen percent were subjected to these practices by a parent, guardian, or other familial relation, whilst an additional one-tenth (or nine percent) encountered it from someone within their own community.
Nevertheless, the vast majority of individuals who experienced conversion practices did so within a religious context. In fact, more than fifty percent (51%) of respondents who endured any form of conversion practices indicated its perpetration by a faith-based entity or collective.
What is the rationale for prohibiting conversion practices specifically within religious environments?
Considering the significant prevalence of conversion practices occurring within faith-based environments, it becomes critically important that these contexts are encompassed within any prohibition on such practices.
Certain LGBTQIA+ individuals spend extended periods engaging in introspection and exploration concerning their sexual orientation and/or gender identity, with numerous persons depending on assistance from therapists, psychologists, and spiritual leaders or communal groups to guide them through this journey. When conducted in an open and affirming fashion, spiritual inquiry or counselling can, indeed, constitute substantial aid for an individual.
However, should spiritual direction, therapeutic consultation, or supplication manifest as compelling an individual to ‘remedy' their sexual orientation or gender identity, such an action does not qualify as genuine exploration or counselling. Rather, it constitutes conversion practice, unequivocally classifying as abusive.
It bears emphasizing that the objective of such a prohibition is not to curtail prayer or to render customary religious or faith-based activities illegal. Unquestionably, the liberty of religion or belief stands as a vital and foundational entitlement, representing a core and deeply valued facet of existence for numerous LGBTQIA+ individuals. Nevertheless, no liberty or entitlement extends so far as to authorize the injury, mistreatment, or torment of another human being.
What steps can be taken to aid in the prohibition of conversion practices across the United Kingdom?
Over three years prior, the Government committed to outlawing conversion practices, and within the current year, they are set to release a public consultation detailing the proposed contents of the forthcoming Bill.
For a prohibition on conversion practices to achieve genuine efficacy, it must encompass every LGBTQIA+ individual—spanning both adults and minors—and extend to all environments, notably incorporating religious and faith-affiliated contexts.