Like their conservative Christian counterparts, some conservative Muslims are known to use a form of exorcism as conversion therapy.
Fiyaz Mughal, founder of Faith Matters and Muslims Against Antisemitism, shares with Pink News the experience of Khalid, who was pressured by his family to submit to shaming prayers and aversion therapy with the help of an Islamic spiritual guide who had no therapeutic credentials.
Khalid would scold himself for his overwhelming “evil urges”, swear at himself for being so weak and punch himself as though he needed to be physically shocked out of the feelings.
“It is time that this form of Muslim conversion therapy is highlighted and that anyone who comes across such actions by these so-called holy men report them into the police or to local authorities when a ban comes into place,” Khalid said.
“So many lives have been affected by money-grabbing sessions that cannot change the sexuality of someone and which cause, in some instances, serious emotional disturbances.”
Khalid and Mughal support a broad ban against licensed and unlicensed conversion therapy.
Born Perfect is a survivor-led program created by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) in 2014 to end conversion therapy by passing laws across the country that protect LGBTQ children and young people, fighting in courtrooms to ensure their safety, and raising awareness about the serious harms caused by these dangerous practices. https://bornperfect.org