ADVOCATE OP-ED BY 'CONVERSION THERAPY' SURVIVOR TIM SCHRAEDER RODRIGUEZ SOUNDS ALARM ON THE "SOFTER" RETURN OF THE DISCREDITED IDEOLOGY

"I believed the lie that loving myself meant losing God"

New York, New York — October 27, 2025 — Ahead of the spring 2026 release of his book Conversion Therapy Dropout: A Queer Story of Faith and Belonging, writer, digital strategist, and "conversion therapy" survivor, Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez has called out the dangerous resurgence of the ideology of the discredited practice, in a new op-ed for The Advocate titled: I survived Conversion Therapy. Now It’s Coming Back in Softer Words.

​In the deeply personal piece, Schraeder Rodriguez reflects on surviving nearly a decade of so-called "conversion therapy," and urges readers to recognize how those same harmful beliefs are resurfacing today — often wrapped in language of “choice,” “healing,” or “faith alignment.”

www.advocate.com

I survived conversion therapy. Now it's coming back in softer words

Opinion: The Trevor Project's report reveals the devastating impact of conversion therapy on LGBTQ+ youth. As the numbers rise, so does the urgency to protect and affirm these vulnerable young lives, argues Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez.

​Schraeder Rodriguez writes in part:

“Conversion therapy never really disappeared,” Schraeder Rodriguez writes. “It just got better at hiding. The words may have changed, but the goal remains the same: to convince LGBTQ people that who we are is something that needs to be fixed.”

​As a co-founder of Church Clarity, an organization dedicated to transparency around churches’ policies on LGBTQ inclusion and women in leadership, Schraeder Rodriguez has spent years helping queer people of faith navigate spiritual trauma and find affirming communities. His op-ed challenges both faith institutions and mental health professionals to confront the evolving tactics of anti-LGBTQ movements.​

“We are seeing a rebrand of conversion therapy under the guise of ‘discipleship,’ ‘biblical counseling,’ and ‘sexual integrity ministries,’” he says. “It’s the same ideology that told me my identity was incompatible with God — now using new language to sound compassionate and modern. We cannot afford to underestimate the power of this rhetoric. It’s subtle, it’s strategic, and it’s spreading.”

​The essay arrives at a pivotal time. The Trevor Project's new Project SPARK report found that the number of LGBTQ youth threatened with conversion therapy nearly doubled in one year, from 11% to 22%. Meanwhile, pending legislation and court challenges are testing the strength of conversion therapy bans in several U.S. states.​​​

Schraeder Rodriguez’s op-ed also speaks to his journey toward healing and authenticity, reclaiming both his faith and his voice.​​​“I believed the lie that loving myself meant losing God,” he writes. “What I know now is that choosing truth — choosing myself — was the most faithful act I could ever commit.”​​​

Read his piece now at Advocate.com:

www.advocate.com

I survived conversion therapy. Now it's coming back in softer words

Opinion: The Trevor Project's report reveals the devastating impact of conversion therapy on LGBTQ+ youth. As the numbers rise, so does the urgency to protect and affirm these vulnerable young lives, argues Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez.

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About Tim Schraeder Rodriguez: Tim Schraeder Rodriguez is a writer and advocate whose work explores the intersections of faith, sexuality, and belonging. A survivor of eight years in “conversion therapy,” his essays have appeared in outlets including National Catholic Reporter and Religion News Service. His forthcoming memoir, Conversion Therapy Dropout: A Queer Story of Faith and Belonging, chronicles his journey from coercion to healing — and calls for a faith that liberates rather than confines.