‘Gay therapy’ victim at 4 years old describes trauma
A gay man who experienced conversion therapy as a young child has spoken out about the trauma and shame it induced to this day.
In an interview with ABC News Mordechai Levovitz explained how he was forced to undergo conversion therapy by his deeply religious parents at 6 years old.
It was at just 4 years old when his parents first took him to see a conversion therapist. They were concerned he was too feminine, as he liked pink and everything girls liked to do. The therapist encouraged Levovitz to attend football and baseball games, but he lacked interest.
Levovitz is an orthodox Jew who now works for an organisation in New York called Jewish Queer Youth. Many of the young people he works to help have experienced ‘gay therapy’. He called the entire concept “quackery” and explained how, “every week there are kids who come to my organization traumatized and broken because their families sent them to therapists to try to change them and make them straight.”
Levovitz himself admits he is “still dealing with the trauma of feeling abnormal and ashamed”.
In February, a New Jersey judge ruled gay conversion therapy consumer fraud, after four men set out to sue Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing (JONAH), who allegedly forced them to partake in unlawful sexualised activites.
Last week Obama called for an end to ‘devastating’ LGBT conversion therapy. Levovitz remarked that he was “very glad” the White House are supporting a nationwide petition to ban LGBT conversion therapy.
The American Psychological Association’s (APA) findings revealed that “trying to turn someone from gay to straight poses serious health risks – depression, substance abuse and suicide.” APA released a press statement applauding President Obama for his call to ban this procedure.
