¨Sometime in the not-to-distant future, denying gays the right to marry will be viewed as historically corrupt - as corrupt as denying slaves their freedom.¨ - Mark Mckinnon. Denying the right to love who you want, to marry who you want, will not always go unpunished. One day I hope it will make history as something from the past, something that was overcome, and that everyone will have the right to love who they want and be who they want with all the freedom in the world. We must fight to get this fight against those that would change us, fight for a better world.

Conversion therapy uses dangerous and harmful practices to ¨falsely¨ change someone's sexual orientation or gender identity, often preying on vulnerable youth. ¨Minors are especially vulnerable, and conversion therapy can lead to depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness, and suicide.¨ minors often have a tough time coming out, especially to family, and those that do come out, don't always have an easy time. Rejection from family, friends and loved ones can have extreme consequences especially considering that people in the LGBTQ+ community are at higher risk for depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness, and suicide.

Conversion therapy has come under hot water in recent years. Many states now focused on protecting the young members of the LGBTQ+ community. Conversion therapy is often connected to those who take religion to the extreme ( cults ) and mainly target vulnerable young people. ¨Conversion therapy is any attempt to change a person's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. However, because the practice has come under increasing scrutiny, providers frequently change their terminology to avoid detection. Some of those terms can seem relatively harmless at first glance.¨. Those in the LGBTQ+ community who belong to a church or faith often have a hard time coming out or accepting themselves. Some people believe that the way you are born is the way you will stay throughout life that you will not change or grow as a person but will fit the mold that was in their minds since your birth. ¨One side sees religious freedom as a protection against having to accommodate things they cannot conscientiously support, e.g., same-sex marriage.¨ those of extreme religion or faith can not always accept those who are different and believe they can ¨cure¨ or fix someone who is different. ¨religiously motivated discrimination against LGBT people can inflict real harm, and why state endorsement of this discrimination is dangerous.¨ many people all around the world probably know someone in the LGBTQ+ community if they are not in the community, they are not in the community themselves we need to think about what we can do to support them if we do nothing we are no better than the people discriminating against those in the LGBTQ+ community.

In conclusion, conversion therapy must be stopped the idea that you can ¨cure¨ or change someone's gender identity or sexual orientation. The idea that there would even be something to change is disgusting. I'm sure that many of you reading this have family friends or someone you know in the LGBTQ+ community. If you yourself aren't in it, I am asking you to think about the harm weigh the risks with the ¨benefits¨. We need to show support and put an end to conversion therapy.