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Conversion therapy is the pseudoscientific practice of attempting to change an individual's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression to align with heterosexual and cisgender norms. In contrast to mainstream clinical guidance, such practices typically view homosexuality and gender variance as unnatural or unhealthy. There is a scientific consensus that conversion therapy is ineffective at changing a person's sexual orientation and can cause significant, long-term psychological harm.
Common methods of conversion therapy are counseling, visualization, social skills training, psychoanalytic therapy, and spiritual interventions. Other methods that have been used include ice-pick lobotomies; chemical castration with hormonal treatment; aversive treatments, such as "the application of electric shock to the hands and/or genitals"; "nausea-inducing drugs... administered simultaneously with the presentation of homoerotic stimuli"; and masturbatory reconditioning.
Jurisdictions around the world have passed laws against conversion therapy. Conversion therapy may constitute fraud and has been described by some experts as torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment and thus contrary to human rights norms.