Conversion Therapy: a personal story
by JACK SHAPIRO
The Bee’s Conversion Therapy article by Rich Kane prompted the following Facebook post by Jack Shapiro, which is published below with Jack’s permission. Jack is a voice instructor, former BYU Young Ambassador, and a beautiful human being.
I did conversion therapy for about three years. From 2012 - 2015, off and on. My therapists weren’t calling it conversion therapy, they were using the term “reparative” therapy. It was very expensive, and while both therapists were conventionally licensed, and the experience was nothing like the barbaric conversion therapies of the past, the underlying beliefs and theories were incredibly damaging. Through consistent daily effort I am finally beginning to unravel the damaging self-beliefs I developed while in this “reparative” therapy process.
One of the most healing aspects is that since 2015 BOTH of the therapists I met with have left the conversion therapy process and come out. I have a heart full of compassion for these men, because I do believe that they were truly trying to help with no ill intent.
Still, this process is one that would have made my life so much easier if it had never started. Instead, if I had through the aid of a therapist, learned to embrace and love myself from the onset, instead of focusing so much time and energy on changing the un-changeable, I could have avoided years of confusion and self loathing.
My story is gentle compared to the experiences of friends and acquaintances, and still it was so damaging.
I support the end of this practice! It needs to be done away with and banned. Being gay is not something to be “cured.” It is not the result of some deep trauma that needs to be resolved. God (The Universe, Source Energy, Love, or whatever you choose to believe) created every soul to be unique and beautiful, and I believe that our binary, heteronormative system is a reflection of a limited and limiting understanding and belief of God. The ONLY thing that matters in the end is love; love for self, and love for others.
I Hope my brief story may shed some light!
Nothing but love!