Reconstructing Identity after Conversion Practices: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis with Gay Men

Introduction This qualitative study examines the experiences of self-identified homosexual men who were submitted to sexual orientation conversion practices, focusing on their post-conversion identity trajectories.Methods Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), semi-structured interviews were conducted with three participants between February and July 2026 to explore their lived experiences, emotional impacts, and processes of identity reconstruction within their sociocultural contexts.Results Three superordinate themes were identified: Disempowerment and Vulnerability, Relational and Identity Trajectories in Post-Conversion Life, and Empowerment and Identity Reconstruction. Participants described conversion practices driven by religious, familial, and social pressures as experiences associated with shame, guilt, anxiety, identity concealment, and psychological distress linked to internalized sexual stigma and heterosexism. Despite these impacts, accounts also reflected processes of distancing from hostile environments, the formation of affirming relationships, and efforts to reframe experiences through identity reconstruction and meaning-making.Conclusions Findings highlight the enduring psychological and relational impacts of conversion practices, while also illustrating participants’ agency in reconstructing their identities over time.Policy Implications The results underscore the need for affirmative and ethically grounded clinical practices, as well as professional training and public policies aimed at preventing conversion practices and supporting survivors in diverse sociocultural contexts.