conversion practices Also known as: conversion therapy, reparative therapy Written by Karen Sottosanti Karen Sottosanti is a writer and editor who works in educational publishing. Karen Sottosanti Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated June 10, 2026 •History Conversion practices, also called conversion therapy or reparative therapy, are a wide-ranging set of medical and psychological procedures aimed at changing a person’s gender identity to that traditionally associated with their sex assigned at birth or converting their sexual orientation to heterosexuality. Conversion practitioners commonly believe that sexual orientations or gender identities that are not heterosexual or cisgender, respectively, are unnatural and symptomatic of mental disorders that can and should be treated. Religious practitioners may also regard...

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