The record
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- The Kerala branch of the Indian Medical Association has officially opposed conversion therapy, saying there is no scientific basis for practices that try to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
- The IMA Keralam stated that sexual orientation and gender diversity are not diseases requiring treatment.
- A 2023 study of 130 LGBTQIA+ people in Kerala reported that 45.4% of participants had been forced to undergo conversion therapies, causing significant psychological distress.
- The Kerala High Court had in December 2021 directed the State government to take measures against forced conversion therapy and formulate guidelines with help from an expert committee.
- The IMA's statement matters because it commits doctors to refuse to practise or refer people for conversion efforts and calls for respectful, identity-affirming mental-health support instead.
What to watch next
- Whether the Kerala government finalises the High Court-ordered guidelines against conversion therapy with expert committee and community inputs
- How the IMA Keralam statement affects complaints against the medical practitioners named in the 2021 Queerala petition
- Whether other state IMA branches or the national IMA follow with similar positions
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Named India · Kerala · American Psychiatric Association · Indian Medical Association · Kerala High Court · National Medical Commission · Queerala · World Health Organisation · World Medical Association
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