About Us
Conversion therapy is the pseudoscientific practice of trying to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity using psychological interventions. There is no reliable evidence that sexual orientation can be changed and medical institutions warn that conversion therapy practices — also known as “reparative therapy,” “ex-gay therapy,” or “sexual orientation change efforts” — are ineffective and potentially harmful.
In June 2014, the National Center for Lesbian Rights launched Born Perfect, a program to end conversion therapy by passing laws across the country to protect LGBT children and young people, fighting in courtrooms to ensure their safety, and raising awareness about the serious harms caused by these dangerous practices.
Few practices hurt LGBT youth more than attempts to change their sexual orientation or gender identity through conversion therapy, which can cause depression, substance abuse, and even suicide.
But some mental health providers continue to subject young LGBT people to these practices even though the methods have been condemned by every major medical and mental health organization in the country.
NCLR has been working to protect LGBT youth from these practices for more than 20 years, securing legislation protecting youth from these dangerous practices in California in 2012; New Jersey in 2013; Washington, D.C. in 2014; Oregon and Illinois in 2015; Vermont in 2016; Connecticut, Nevada, New Mexico, Rhode Island in 2017; Washington state, Maryland, Hawaii, New Hampshire, and Delaware in 2018; New York, Massachusetts, and Colorado in 2019; and Utah and Virginia in 2020. Today, we are working with legislators and LGBT leaders in dozens of other states and helping bring similar protections to the rest of the country. We believe that every LGBT child is born perfect and that any young person’s identity as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender should be honored, celebrated, and supported.
We are committed to ending these dangerous and stigmatizing practices across the country once and for all—relegating them to the dustbin of history, and ensuring every child knows they were #BornPerfect.
If you have been personally impacted by conversion therapy or are considering legislation in your state, connect with NCLR for help.
Learn more…
SURVIVOR STORIES & SURVIVOR NETWORK
While experts estimate that as many as 1 in 3 LGBT people have been subjected to some form of conversion therapy, trauma from these experiences can make it difficult to come forward. Read about the courageous survivors who have, and find the support to use your own voice for good.
THE FACTS ABOUT CONVERSION THERAPY
Find out more about the dangerous practice of conversion therapy, also known as “reparative therapy,” “ex-gay therapy,” or “sexual orientation change efforts.”
LAWS & LEGISLATION BY STATE
Get up-to-date information on which states are working with NCLR to pass laws protecting children and young people from conversion therapy.
TOOLKITS, RESOURCES & STATEMENTS
Are you considering legislation? We’re here to help. Connect with NCLR, request our toolkit to help end conversion therapy, and explore the many articles, research papers, and policy statements finding that these practices are ineffective and harmful.
LEGAL CASES
NCLR is working to defend existing state laws from legal challenges by anti-LGBT organization and representing the interests of survivors of these dangerous and discredited practices.
PROGRAM SUPPORTERS
A broad range of supporters—including mental health, faith, civil rights, youth advocacy, and reproductive justice organizations—support an end to conversion therapy. Read the national open letters here, and find out how to sign your organization on.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
While experts estimate that as many as 1 in 3 LGBT people have been subjected to some form of conversion therapy, trauma from these experiences can make it difficult to come forward. Read about the courageous survivors who have, and find the support to use your own voice for good.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Are you considering legislation in your state? Are you a survivor of these practices? Do you want to get involved with ending these dangerous practice once and for all? Find out what you can do to support the effort to end conversion therapy.