Wisconsin has moved toward restricting conversion therapy by classifying it as unethical conduct for licensed mental health professionals. However, the issue has faced ongoing challenges, making protections more complex than many people realize. Many residents may assume conversion therapy is fully banned, when the reality is more nuanced. 

 

Bringing awareness to conversion therapy is important because people cannot advocate for an issue they do not fully understand, and many remain unaware of what these practices involve or that they continue to affect LGBTQ+ individuals.

 

What is Conversion Therapy? What are the Negative Impacts of Conversion Therapy?

• Sometimes called “reparative” or “reorientation” therapy, these practices stem from the scientifically discredited belief that being LGBTQ+ is a mental illness that should be cured (American Psychological Association, 2026)
  • Gender identity conversion therapy refers to psychological interventions with a predetermined goal to change a person’s gender identity to align with their sex assigned at birth
• Conversion therapy is a discredited practice focusing on changing ones's sexual orientation or gender identity
• Reinforces shame and stigma by treating sexual orientation or gender identity as disorders (NAMI, 2026)
• Approximately 15% of LGBTQ+ youth report being threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy (The Trevor Project, 2021)
• LGBTQ+ youth who experienced conversion therapy were significantly more likely to report depression, suicide attempts, and severe psychological distress

 

 

 

 

Conversion therapy, often marketed as a way to "change" one's sexual orientation or identity, has been widely discredited by mental health organizations worldwide. Yet, in Wisconsin, efforts to classify this practice as unethical conduct for licensed mental health professionals have been met with legal and political resistance, complicating the protection processes against it.

 

While some progress has been made, the perception that conversion therapy is entirely banned in Wisconsin is misleading, leaving many individuals at risk of undergoing this damaging practice. The ambiguity surrounding the legal stance on conversion therapy not only puts vulnerable individuals in harm's way but also sends a message to the broader community that Wisconsin is indecisively approaching the protection of LGBTQ+ rights.

By allowing any loophole that could perpetuate this practice, we are failing the youth in our communities who deserve dignity and true support from their mental health providers.

The time is now to push for clear, unequivocal legislation that fully bans conversion therapy. We urge Wisconsin lawmakers to take a decisive stance and close any gaps in current policies that might allow this harmful practice to continue under any guise. By doing so, we affirm our commitment to protecting all residents from practices that are not only unethical but also harmful and deeply traumatizing.

 

 

 

 

 

By signing this petition, you join the call to end the ambiguity and take a stand against conversion therapy once and for all. Together, we can promote accurate education and increase awareness surrounding conversion therapy, ensuring more people understand what these harmful practices involve and the lasting impact they can have on LGBTQ+ youth and our communities.