Protecting LGBTQ+ Youth from Conversion Therapy
“Protecting LGBTQ+ Youth from Conversion Therapy” seeks to use public records to gain a better understanding of the conversion therapy industry, governmental involvement in the practice and the scope of its harm on LGBTQ+ youth.
A January 2018 study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law estimated that 20,000 LGBTQ+ youth between the ages 13 and 17 will undergo conversion therapy from a licensed healthcare professional before the age of 18. The study estimated that another 57,000 youth would receive conversion therapy from a religious or spiritual advisor. The Williams Institute study found that roughly 698,000 LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. have gone through conversion therapy and 350,000 of them were children at the time of treatment. Though the issue is under-researched and public discourse on the subject is limited, there are vocal political proponents.
- Blue = U.S. cities and counties that have bans on sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts with minors.
Image via Wikimedia Commons and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
This investigation will involve locating and investigating private organizations that perform conversion therapy on minors, examining their incorporation documents and any public grants they may have received, finding potential governmental ties to “ex-gay” organizations through donations or communications, and finding consumer fraud lawsuits or FTC complaints made against organizations offering the treatment.
Using public records to understand conversion therapy uncovers a number of transparency issues. Aside from the lack of solid research, a large number of practitioners offer the services in private, in the name of ministries or religious denominations. It goes by many different names, making requests for information difficult. Many practitioners create their own unfounded methods. Also, many reports come first-hand from survivors of the versions of the treatment.
By fighting for more transparency we can gain a better understanding of the legislative, scientific and social repercussions of conversion therapy, informing future choices judicially and individually, and in the process, protecting children from harassment, shame, and abuse.
Image by Levi Saunders via Unsplash
5 Articles

Emails reveal inner-workings of Virginia’s failed conversion therapy ban
Documents responsive to a request by Tom Nash shed light on a proposed conversion therapy ban in Virginia that failed last January. The documents include emails between experts and Doctor David Brown, Director of the Virginia Department of Health Professions, regarding a conversion therapy “workgroup” convened by Brown in October 2018, and a pair of bills, SB 245 and HB 363, seeking to ban the practice.

Hawaii Becomes 12th state to ban conversion therapy for minors
Last month, Governor of Hawaii David Ige signed a bill into law preventing state-licensed medical professionals from performing sexual orientation or gender identity conversion therapy on anyone under 18, making the state the 12th so far to implement a ban.

FTC release records regarding the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act
In response to a FOIA request back in February, the Federal Trade Commission released 101 pages of documents regarding conversion therapy, a majority of which concern the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act of 2017.
52 Requests
No Responsive Documents
Charitable Organization Complaints (Boston Christian Center, Inc.)
Joey Del Ponte sent this request to the Non-Profit Organizations/ Public Charities Division of Massachusetts
No Responsive Documents
Charitable Organization Complaints (MA Family Institute)
Joey Del Ponte sent this request to the Non-Profit Organizations/ Public Charities Division of Massachusetts
No Responsive Documents
Charitable Organization Complaints (MA Living Waters)
Joey Del Ponte sent this request to the Non-Profit Organizations/ Public Charities Division of Massachusetts
Fix Required
Joey Del Ponte sent this request to the Office of the Governor of Indiana
Awaiting Acknowledgement
Joey Del Ponte sent this request to the Office of the Governor of Indiana
Fix Required
Conversion Therapy (Attorney General) (Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General)
Joey Del Ponte sent this request to the Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General of the United States of America