'Praying the gay away': Conversion therapy is not uncommon in SA

Sara-Jayne Makwala King spoke to James De Villiers.

Listen to their conversation in the audio clip below.

According to Psychology Today, "conversion therapy is a pseudoscientific and discredited practice that attempts to force LGBTQ+ individuals to change their sexual orientation or gender identity and instead identify as heterosexual or cisgender."

Recently the LGBTQ+ rights organisation 'Outright' released a groundbreaking report titled ‘Health Ethics and the Eradication of Conversion Practices in Africa' providing a comprehensive analysis of the prevalence, nature and impact of conversion practices on LGBTQ+ people in Africa.

The report states that: "In Africa, research supported by Outright International in Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa found that, on average, close to half of a total of 2,891 LGBTQ persons surveyed reported that they had been subjected to conversion practices in their lifetime (49%, 44%, and 58% of respondents sampled from these countries, respectively)."

Eight years ago, convinced by the church he was a member of that his sexuality was an abomination, James De Villiers stood in the cold and dark wondering if life was worth living.

For ten years, he tried to rid himself of his homosexuality by spending hours in church "praying away the gay", with members of the congregation praying to God to restore his masculinity. 

In small groups dedicated to "recovering homosexuals", he and other "sinners" were made to watch documentaries about how gay people can never be happy and can never have healthy relationships.

De Villiers says this type of conversion therapy is not uncommon in South Africa.

"I joined this conservative, charismatic community when I was in grade 8. As much as it was incredible for me because finally I had a group of people that spoke life over me and affirmed me... it was also starting to build this shame of this thing that I couldn't change."

- James De Villiers 

Scroll up to listen to the full interview.