Where Is Conversion Therapy Still Legal in 2025? A Global Overview

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Conversion therapy—practices aimed at changing an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity—has been widely discredited by major medical and psychological organizations. Despite this, such practices remain legal or unregulated in various parts of the world. This article provides an updated overview of the global legal status of conversion therapy as of 2025. It is also the official kick-off for our series about LGBTQIA+ people.

🌍 Global Legal Status of Conversion Therapy

✅ Countries with National Bans

Several countries have enacted national legislation banning conversion therapy:

• Canada: Implemented a comprehensive ban in 2022.
• Germany: Prohibits conversion therapy for minors and advertising of such services.
• France: Enacted a law in 2022 banning conversion therapy with penalties including imprisonment and fines.
• New Zealand: Passed the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Act in 2022, criminalizing conversion practices.
• Norway: Act 113, effective from January 2024, prohibits all forms of conversion therapy.
• Spain: Approved a national ban in February 2023, protecting all LGBT+ individuals regardless of consent.
• Portugal: Law 15/2024, effective March 2024, bans conversion therapy and includes criminal penalties.
• Belgium: Amended its Criminal Code in July 2023 to criminalize conversion therapies.
• Mexico: A federal ban was enacted in June 2024, following bans in 19 federal entities.

Sources: Wikipedia and Global Equality Caucus.

⚠️ Countries with Partial or Regional Bans

In some countries, conversion therapy is banned or restricted in certain regions or for specific age groups:

• Austria has taken steps toward banning conversion therapy, particularly for minors. In 2019, the National Council approved a resolution calling for a ban on such practices for individuals under the age of 18. However, as of now, a comprehensive national law has not been enacted.
• Australia: Bans exist in Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales (effective April 2025), and South Australia (effective April 2025). Other states are considering legislation.
• Denmark is considering legislation to ban conversion therapy. While discussions are ongoing, no law has been passed yet.
• Finland is in the process of evaluating a ban on conversion therapy. Legislative proposals have been introduced, but no law has been enacted to date.
• Greece banned conversion therapy for minors in May 2022. The law prohibits such practices from being applied to individuals under 18.
• Ireland is actively working on legislation to prohibit conversion therapy. The government has expressed a commitment to banning such practices, but the law is still pending.
• The Netherlands is considering a ban on conversion therapy. While discussions are underway, no specific legislation has been passed yet.
• United States: As of 2025, 23 states and the District of Columbia have laws banning conversion therapy for minors. However, the practice remains legal or unregulated in several states.
• Switzerland: Several cantons, including Neuchâtel, Valais, and Vaud, have enacted bans. A national ban is under consideration.

Sources: AP News and Wikipedia.

❌ Countries Without Bans

In many countries, conversion therapy remains legal or unregulated, often due to a lack of legislation or enforcement:

• China: While homosexuality was declassified as a mental disorder in 2001, conversion practices persist in a legal grey area.
• Hungary does not have a ban on conversion therapy. The country has enacted laws that are widely viewed as anti-LGBTQ+, including restrictions on discussions of homosexuality and gender identity.
• India: The practice varies by region, with no comprehensive national ban.
• Russia: No laws prohibit conversion therapy, and LGBTQ+ rights are generally restricted.
• Poland: Bills to restrict conversion therapy are being considered. However, no national ban has been implemented to date.
• Sweden: Conversion therapy is not currently banned. While there have been calls for legislation to prohibit such practices, no national law has been enacted to date.
• Middle East and North Africa: In many countries, homosexuality is criminalized, and conversion therapy is either practiced or unaddressed by law.
• The United Kingdom: The UK has not implemented a nationwide ban on conversion therapy. Although successive governments have pledged to introduce legislation, progress has been slow, and no comprehensive law is currently in place.

Sources: EqualIndex and The Guardian.

🗺️ Interactive Map of Conversion Therapy Legality

For a visual representation of the global status of conversion therapy, see the Movement Advancement Project’s Interactive Map.

Major health organizations have condemned conversion therapy due to its detrimental effects:

World Health Organization: Opposes conversion therapy, emphasizing that it lacks medical justification and poses a serious threat to the health and human rights of affected individuals. For information on laws regarding conversion therapy, please refer to the interactive map provided by the Movement Advancement Project.

American Psychological Association: States that conversion therapy poses significant risks, including depression, anxiety, and self-destructive behavior.

💥 Why Conversion Therapy Is Harmful, Not Helpful

While conversion therapy is often framed as a form of “healing” or “spiritual restoration,” research shows it causes far more harm than help. Instead of resolving inner conflict, it often deepens shame, fuels anxiety, and increases the risk of self-harm, depression, and suicide, especially among LGBTQIA+ youth.

Multiple studies, including those from the American Psychological Association and the Trevor Project, have found that individuals exposed to sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE) report significantly higher levels of emotional trauma, social rejection, and internalized hatred. The damage often lingers for decades.

For Christians who support such practices, the intention may stem from a perceived moral standpoint, but the outcome often contradicts Christ’s message of grace, compassion, and love.

As we continue this series, we’ll explore the real-life story of a trans woman who found her faith after coming out, not despite her transition, but through it. Her experience highlights what truly transforms a life: not coercion, but acceptance.

👉 Read her story here.

⛪ What the Church Can Learn: Compassion Over Control

The Christian Church has long wrestled with how to respond to LGBTQIA+ identities. Some cite Deuteronomy or Romans in defense of exclusion, while others question whether those interpretations truly reflect God’s heart.

What’s often missing from this debate is a central Christian theme: compassion.

Conversion therapy reflects a belief that people must change who they are to be loved by God or welcomed into the community. But the Gospel tells a different story—one where Jesus met people where they were and loved them into transformation, not shamed them into silence.

The modern church has a powerful choice: cling to old dogma, or lead with radical compassion.

In our upcoming article, we’ll be debunking LGBTQIA+ myths frequently heard in Christian spaces—many of which stem from fear, misinterpretation, or lack of lived experience. We’ll also challenge the idea that trans people somehow “disrupt” God’s design, offering insight from both scripture and human dignity.

👉 Read more: Are Trans Women Real Women?
👉 Coming soon: Debunking LGBTQ+ Myths in Christian Communities

Conclusion

While progress has been made in banning conversion therapy in various parts of the world, significant gaps remain. Continued advocacy and legislative efforts are essential to protect LGBTQ+ individuals from these harmful practices globally.

Note: This article is for informational purposes and reflects the legal status as of May 2025. For the most up-to-date information, please consult official government resources or consult with legal experts.

To your success,

Rickard