TL;DR
- Two Black gay men share their experiences with conversion therapy.
- The Supreme Court ruling raises concerns about the practice’s legality.
- Conversion therapy often occurs in religious settings, causing deep trauma.
- Black LGBTQ youth face higher risks of mental health issues due to these practices.
- Advocates call for an end to harmful conversion therapy methods.
In a world where love should reign supreme, two Black gay men are bravely stepping into the spotlight, revealing the dark and twisted reality of conversion therapy rooted in religious teachings. Their stories are not just personal—they’re a clarion call to confront the lasting trauma that these harmful practices continue to inflict on Black communities.
Conversion therapy, a discredited practice aimed at changing an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, has been banned in 20 states and Washington, D.C. Yet, a recent Supreme Court ruling has reignited fears among LGBTQ+ advocates. The ruling in Chiles v. Salazar suggests that the government cannot intervene before harm occurs, leaving many vulnerable to the very practices that should be outlawed.
Dr. David Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Collective, emphasizes the disproportionate impact this ruling has on Black LGBTQ youth. “Nine percent of Black LGBTQ+/SGL youth report having undergone conversion therapy, with 82% experiencing it before the age of 18,” he notes. The statistics are alarming: Black LGBTQ youth who endure such practices are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide.
For many, the trauma begins in the very places meant to provide solace—churches. Blair Dottin-Haley recalls his harrowing journey, starting when he was outed by a family friend. His parents, believing queerness was a sin, sought help from a family counselor who pushed a narrative that homosexuality was a tool of white supremacy. Dottin-Haley was forced into a ministry called Free Indeed, where the goal was to convince him that his true self was wrong. “I was so disengaged. I was there, but I was going through the motions just to live in some sense of peace,” he reflects.
Daniel Downer’s experience was no less traumatic. As a preacher’s kid, he faced emotional and physical abuse both at home and in church settings. “The conversion therapy people don’t talk about the emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual abuse,” he laments, highlighting the intense pressure he faced to conform to a heteronormative ideal. After years of suffering, he fled to his grandparents, who ultimately saved his life.
This is not just a personal battle; it’s a community crisis. Kristian Smith, a pastor of a virtual faith community, argues that any practice that harms others cannot be condoned by those who claim to follow Jesus. “Christians will quote scriptures that talk about fruit. ‘And you will be known by the fruit that we bear.’ That’s how we should judge a thing,” he asserts. The documented emotional harm caused by conversion therapy cannot be ignored.
Today, Dottin-Haley has reconciled with his parents, who learned that their love for their son outweighed their desire to change him. Downer, too, is using his voice to advocate for others, hoping to connect with Black queer youth who might be suffering in silence. “There is a Black queer boy, living in the South, having or has had a similar experience as I, who will connect with a piece of my story, and I might help them,” he shares.
The fight against conversion therapy is far from over. As advocates continue to push for an end to these harmful practices, the stories of survivors like Dottin-Haley and Downer remind us of the urgent need for change. Love God, love self, and love others—it’s time to live by these words and reject the harmful ideologies that have caused so much pain.