Conversion therapy, sometimes called reparative therapy or sexual reorientation counseling, is an attempt to change a person's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. There is broad consensus in the medical community that sexual orientation and gender identity are immutable traits and that attempts to change these characteristics through conversion therapy or other means are not only unnecessary and ineffective, but also very harmful. In this week’s episode of In the Den, Jen talks with Ryan Kendall about his experiences as a survivor of conversion therapy, his powerful testimony in California’s Proposition 8 trial, and his current career as a civil rights attorney, working to protect marginalized people and give everyone a fair shot.
Special Guest: Ryan Kendall
Ryan is a survivor of conversion therapy who testified about his experiences in the Proposition 8 trial and in support of legislative bans in California, New York, and New Jersey. Ryan has worked as an advocate to eliminate conversion therapy, and his work has been featured in news stories, op-eds, scholarly articles, interviews, books, and theatrical performances. He is a graduate of Columbia University and the UCLA School of Law. Ryan is currently a civil rights attorney for the Systemic Impact Unit at Community Legal Aid SoCal.
Links from the Show:
Content Warning–some links contain homophobic language and talk of conversion therapy.
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