7 Conversion Therapy Movies to Watch in 2022
The best way to learn about a subject is to talk to real people in real-life situations.
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The best way to learn about a subject is to talk to real people in real-life situations. But for sensitive topics like conversion therapy that take place behind closed doors, the Hollywood treatment can give us a window into this reality.
Maybe you want to learn more about conversion therapy to become an activist, or you just want to challenge your own perspectives with a relatable story or documentary.
What are the best movies to watch about conversion therapy in 2022? Here are the highlights from the past decade - covering a mix of genres - so that you can enjoy your viewing experience while learning some lessons along the way.
1. Conversion
What better way to learn more about a subject than with an accessible documentary from a proven filmmaker? Gregory Caruso directed Conversion to drill down into the topic, highlighting a friendship between a modern practitioner and an established gay activist.
Dr. Gerald Davison was practicing non-aversive conversion therapy back in the 1970s until he met gellow psychologist and gay activist, Charles Silverstein. By uses Silverstein’s words, Davison was able to create a compelling argument during his famed 1974 speech to the ABCT, changing the course of gay rights forever.
The film features powerful imagery and a classic look and feel, along with tons of useful information about the past and present of this controversial practice. This is the number one conversion therapy movie on the list for a reason - check it out online today.
2. Trapped: The Alex Cooper Story
What happens when a SoCal teenager comes out to her strict Mormon parents as a lesbian? She might just be sent to a conversion therapy home in Utah, where old-school religion is the law of the land.
This film is a dramatic recreation of real-life events, but that extra dash of drama makes it so compelling. Alex Cooper finds a way to maneuver safely through the conversion labyrinth, then hopes to make a great escape with the help of a close friend.
3. Pray Away
Conversion therapy is often associated with the tagline “pray the gay away”, suggesting that a person’s sexual proclivities can be transformed through faith.
This documentary film follows survivors and leaders of conversion therapy programs to give us a look into the experiences and aftermath of the practice.
The film presents a fair view of both subjects and proponents of conversion therapy, but the takeaway is clear: this methodology can be harmful if practiced improperly. The film is among the highest-reviewed on this list, and worth a watch.
4. Fair Haven
Independent films can take risks that major motion pictures cannot, which explains why Fair Haven is such a successful endeavor in exploring conversion therapy and its consequence.
The film follows a young man after coming home from therapy, and things get complicated with friends, family, and other community members. If you like the indie film vibe and want a look at the state of gay rights in rural America, this movie might be the one.
5. The Miseducation of Cameron Post
A popular novel turned film starring Chloe Grace Moretz, this movie was Sundance smash back in 2018. The plot is intense, covering a young girl’s experience with a conversion therapy program back in the 1990s.
The film explores serious themes and isn’t always lighthearted, but there is plenty of compassion to go around, and the lessons learned are important for everyone.
6. Boy Erased
Based on the 2016 memoir of gay activist Garrard Conley, Boy Erased takes place in Arkansas where the Baptist church runs a conversion therapy assessment program.
Young gay and lesbian kids have no choice but to attend the camp and undergo a harsh process of moral critique and feel blamed for their decisions. Many traumatic events ensue, and we see what conversion therapy can do to young people’s minds and spirits.
Thankfully, the film has a happy ending, and the real-life conversion camp portrayed was eventually disbanded.
7. The Sunday Sessions
This film is part documentary, part drama, and all important as we discover the truth about conversion therapy. It tracks a gay man in his late twenties who struggles with homosexual feelings, and seeks out help from a conversion therapist.
This reminds us that conversion therapy still exists today, and not everyone enters involuntarily. Some men and women want to seek religious counsel to talk about these feelings instead of acting on them or suppressing them.
The movie becomes a psychological thriller, showing what happens next on this man’s journey. Critics called The Sunday Sessions “informative” and “intellectually engaging.”
Learn More and Stay Informed
Conversion therapy remains a challenging subject in modern life, with vocal supporters on either side of the aisle. Before you jump to conclusions, be sure to watch some of these great films and get the full story.
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