The History Of Psychiatry And Gay Conversion Therapy

The history of sexual identity and orientation is a long and storied one. As societal understandings change, sexual identity follows suit. While we’re currently living in one of the most progressive periods of gender identity and politics, things are far from perfect.

Look, it’s important to recognize how far we’ve come, but we have further to go. Take a look at the above video from Psych IRL. It might teach you a thing or two about why things seem so broken in different parts of the country.

It seems that religion and bigotry have gone hand and hand throughout history. One look at the current map of the United States shows a strong correlation between religious belief and sexual repression. That’s no mistake. Throughout history, laws around sexuality have been made on religious grounds. Yes, that’s right. Psychiatry has almost nothing to do with it, at least in the beginning…

Once psychiatry comes along we get horrible “treatments” for homosexuality like ice-pick lobotomies, aversion therapy, and other awful conversion therapy methods. Up until 1973, homosexuality was included in the diagnostic and statistical manual of Psychology.

So while it may seem like we’re in our own private hell under President Trump, at least homosexuality is no longer considered a mental disorder. However, conversion therapy is still happening around the country. So yes, we’ve come far but we still have ways to go. Do yourself and others around you a favor: spread positivity and inclusiveness.

s around you a favor: spread positivity and inclusiveness.