A new YouTube video attacks the practice of ‘conversion therapy’ aimed at gay and trans youths. It has attracted almost 200,000 views in less than a week and has went viral across the world.

The video comes after the death of Leelah Alcorn, who committed suicide last month, after citing her parent’s refusal to accept her trans status and attempts to ‘cure’ her gender identity.

Over 300,000 people have signed petitions calling for a ‘Leelah’s law’ to impose a federal ban on the practice of reparative therapy – which is currently legal in 48 US states.

The video by sex education vlogger Laci Green of channel Sex+ speaks out against the practice.

Laci says in her video: “Conversion therapy is pretty straightforward – it aims to convert homosexual people into straight, or transgender people into cisgender… Leelah’s therapists told her that she was selfish and wrong and needed to turn to God. Some ministries even advise parents to disown their children if they come out as gay or trans.”Leelah Alcorn - Conversion Therapy Kills - Facebook Page

The sex education vlogger continues “This threapy is legal in 48 states, even as it’s been rejected by every single body of major health experts in the country… Even more the research that its supporters have clung on to has been debunked – like a million times… The [American Psychological Association] found that patients were leaving conversion therapy with some glorious side effects – increased rates of depression, suicidal thoughts and attempts, hyper-awareness of obedience to gender norms, social isolation, poor self esteem… It’s almost like telling people to hate themselves could actually hurt them… How many LGBT kids have to take their lives before we finally put our foot down? Conversion therapy, and especially conversion therapy forced on others, needs to stop.”

Video Summary-

In this episode of Sex+, Laci gives an overview to conversion therapy (AKA reparative therapy, gay cure, and pray the gay away). In section 1, she talks about the methods that therapists will use to attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. In section 2, she discusses conversion therapy’s legal, scientific, and moral failings. In section 3, she closes with a rumination on how we should respond to these issues and the damaging consequences if we don’t.