67. "I genuinely thought I was evil": Gay 'conversion therapy' survivor speaks out

So-called 'conversion therapy' is a form of torture used against LGBTQ people in Britain and beyond: the human consequences are beyond horrific. Justin Beck is a survivor, who endured years of the practice at a Pentecostal Church: he tells me how he got there, the utter turmoil that was unleashed, how he was driven to the brink of suicide - and how he finally got help. He tells me about finding happiness - but about the devastating long-term consequences, and about those LGBTQ people being subjected to this torture.We talk, too, about the government's LGBTQ advisory panel being shut down - with one member accusing the Conservatives of creating a "hostile environment" for LBGTQ people - and the failure to properly end this barbaric practice.CONTENT WARNING: Suicidal ideations, extreme mental distressHelp us take on the right-wing media here: https://patreon.com/owenjones84Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-owen-jones-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Om Podcasten

Owen Jones, journalist, author of Chavs and The Establishment, or "that left-wing idiot off the telly", is fed up with the establishment media. After all, it punches down, not up, blames minorities for all the problems in society, and, let's face it, often just parrots the government line. So this podcast is offering something different: speaking truth to power, giving the marginalised a voice, offering hope - and having a laugh along the way. From Michael Sheen to Judith Butler, Prof. Devi Sridhar to Noam Chomsky, Peter Hitchens to Chelsea Manning and Gary Younge to Stewart Lee, the interviewees couldn't be more eclectic. Expect documentaries, too, exposing injustice and going to enemy territory - and discussions with experts on everything from COVID dreams about the pandemic to the history of US-backed coups. We'll learn a lot - but above all else, have our optimism in a better world rebooted. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-owen-jones-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.