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- calendar_today November 1, 2026
Introduction: Documenting the Realities of Conversion Therapy
Dr. Lucas Wilson, a scholar born in Toronto, is bringing attention to the enduring effects of conversion therapy on 2SLGBTQIA+ communities through his personal experiences and his forthcoming book, Shame-Sex Attraction: Survivors’ Stories of Conversion Therapy. The practice of conversion therapy, banned in Canada since 2022, continues to leave a profound impact on individuals in regions where it persists.
Understanding Conversion Therapy and Its Legal Status in Canada
Conversion therapy encompasses a range of interventions designed to change or suppress a person's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression in favor of heterosexual or cisgender norms. Despite consensus among medical and mental health organizations about its psychological harm, such practices remained legal in many jurisdictions until recently. In Canada, providing, promoting, or advertising conversion therapy is a criminal offense under Bill C-4, which took effect on January 7, 2022. However, the practice is still allowed in some parts of the world, and its effects continue to resonate with survivors.
Experiencing Conversion Therapy at Liberty University
Wilson did not grow up in a religious household, but he attended Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia—a self-described major Christian nationalist institution—for his undergraduate studies. Unacquainted with the campus' religious and political culture, Wilson found himself immersed not only in academics but in a conservative ideological environment. Seeking to resolve the conflict between his Christian faith and sexual orientation, he began what he initially viewed as pastoral counseling, unaware it was conversion therapy.
Wilson recalls that the rhetoric he encountered centered on arguments against homosexuality and gender diversity, pervading both his classes and broader campus life. When Wilson began discussing his sexual identity openly for the first time during counseling, he felt some relief but also internalized the message that being Queer was a problem to be fixed. The pressure to change his orientation resulted in persistent feelings of guilt and shame, which, when his orientation did not change, evolved into self-hatred.
The Psychological Consequences and Path Toward Acceptance
The damage caused by conversion therapy, Wilson explains, relates not just to failed attempts at changing sexual orientation, but to the reinforcement of personal shame. Employing the concept of "cruel optimism" from cultural theorist Lauren Berlant, he describes the hope placed on achieving heterosexuality as ultimately self-destructive. The inability to reconcile religious instruction with his identity left Wilson feeling inherently flawed rather than simply guilty over particular actions.
Following his time at Liberty, Wilson pursued further education at McMaster University and Vanderbilt University. There, courses and community support introduced him to the idea that Queer identity and Christianity need not be in conflict. Ultimately, he left Evangelicalism behind but remained deeply interested in how religious settings influence sexual and gender identities.
Shame-Sex Attraction: Collecting Survivor Stories
Wilson’s upcoming book, Shame-Sex Attraction: Survivors’ Stories of Conversion Therapy, features 17 stories from survivors in Canada, the U.S., and Australia, detailing their encounters with conversion therapy in both religious and secular contexts. The process of collecting and editing survivor narratives expanded Wilson’s understanding of the diverse and pervasive nature of conversion practices.
For Wilson, editing the collection was emotionally taxing but necessary. He emphasizes the importance of documenting these accounts so that future generations can access perspectives that may be missing in some communities. The book seeks to dispel conversion therapy’s pseudoscientific claims and make visible the harm inflicted upon 2SLGBTQIA+ people.
Continuing the Conversation: Research and Advocacy
Wilson’s work extends beyond personal narrative to larger questions about how religious institutions shape attitudes toward sexuality and gender. His next project, Don’t Ask, Tell All: Stories of Christian Colleges’ Anti-LGBTQ Regimes, will examine the experiences of 2SLGBTQIA+ students across Christian educational institutions. Through his scholarship and advocacy, Wilson aims to ensure that Queer individuals, especially those coming from conservative or religious environments, know that change is possible and that a vibrant Queer life awaits them beyond harmful teachings.
Source: nowtoronto.com.
