WARNING: This article contains mention of suicide.
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After years of pressure from LGBTQ+ activists, Canada has finally put in place a country-wide ban on conversion therapy. Although this marks a major milestone in the fight for social equality, it is only the first of many steps Canada must take to rectify its errors.
The Canadian government must offer compensation for survivors of conversion therapy and provide concrete steps for healing, such as gender-affirming healthcare and safer spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals.
Conversion therapy has so far been banned by about a dozen countries worldwide. Bans on “treating” minors have been in place since 2015 in Ontario and Manitoba, and the country has made slow progress since then. Although many Canadians have been waiting for this landmark decision for years, the fight does not end here.
Conversion therapy has been practiced in Canada since the 1950s as a means to force LGBTQ+ individuals to conform to the standards of society. One in 10 queer men in Canada reported having experienced conversion therapy. Seventy-two per cent of them reported having such experiences before the age of 20.
According to a 2019 study by MacEwan University, there is no credible evidence that it is possible to change one’s sexual orientation or gender identity; any attempt to do so does nothing but cause harm to the individual’s mental health.
The study shows the rate of attempted suicide by LGBTQ+ youth whose parents have tried to change their sexual orientation is 48 per cent—more than double the rate of those who reported no conversion experiences.
Such trauma does not go away as soon as a child who has suffered through conversion therapy leaves home, nor does it leave an adult who continues to be subjected to the practice.
A 2020 study by American researchers shows adults who have been subjected to conversion therapy suffer from depression, suicidal thoughts and internalized homophobia. While the conversion therapy ban is an achievement that calls for celebration, it is important to understand that it should not be used as an excuse for Canadians to stop advocating for survivors of the practice.
There is still more to be done. Survivors of conversion therapy who suffer immense trauma should be compensated for what they have endured and the Canadian health-care system must recognize and mitigate the damage caused by years of neglect in LGBTQ+ care.
Bill C-4 was the court’s third attempt at establishing the ban. The biggest difference between this bill and the last two is that it prohibits conversion therapy from being used on youth and adults alike. Unfortunately, there have been no propositions towards providing support for those who have already suffered through the problematic system.
Although it is refreshing to say that conversion therapy is a problem of the past, the consequences of the practice remain in the lives of its survivors. Providing support groups for these individuals to help them heal from the deeply ingrained internalized homophobia infused by the practice could be a beneficial stepping stone towards greater progress.
In a 2019 report on conversion therapy in Canada by MacEwan University, conversion therapy survivor Jonathan Brower put it plainly: “I don’t want healing anymore, not from who I am, I just want healing from the scars of trying to change.” Many survivors included in the report share similar sentiments.
There are many ways in which Canadians can continue to take action in the face of the injustices these youth and adults have suffered. The creation of safe spaces for LGBTQ+ people and the promotion of gender-affirming health care are only a few.
According to the Canadian Medical Association Journal, more than four per cent of psychotherapists have treated at least one patient with the goal of reducing same-sex attraction. The journal states it is even more likely psychotherapists have attempted to treat transgender patients in order to align their gender identity to the sex assigned to them at birth.
Canada must ensure that all physicians are promoting services for gender-affirming health care, instead of perpetuating dangerous alternatives, such as similar practices to conversion therapy. The development of gender-affirming health care should become a top priority because it can save or better the lives of many Canadians.
In March 2021, the Yukon government passed a gender-affirming health care policy that is comprehensive and makes the proper health care for transgender individuals in the territory much more accessible. As the rest of Canada continues to fall behind, the federal government should be looking at Yukon’s policy as a guide for future improvements all across the country.
Progress does not have an end. The consequences of the mistakes Canada has made in the past continue to be felt by individuals who underwent conversion therapy.
These actions must not be forgotten. It is up to the Canadian government to amend for its wrongs through a commitment to action-based allyship with LGBTQ+ individuals in Canada.
Featured image provided by Unsplash.
