A group tied to the controversial “conversion therapy” movement gathered last week on the steps of the California State Capitol in Sacramento to rally against what they call the “LGBTQ lifestyle,” advocating instead for a religious path to “healing” through Christianity.
The rally, held by members of the Changed Movement, was timed to coincide with the anniversary of a failed 2018 California bill that aimed to classify conversion therapy as fraudulent. While organisers claimed to be commemorating the bill’s defeat, the event largely served to reignite public discourse around a practice widely condemned by medical experts and LGBTQ+ advocates.
The Changed Movement is a successor to the now-defunct Exodus International, which shut down in 2013 after its president admitted that conversion therapy does not work. The current movement, which includes ties to the conservative legal group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and Bethel Church in Redding, California, presents itself under the banner of “religious freedom.”
ADF, currently enjoying broad influence within U.S. political and legal circles, is actively working to challenge state and local bans on conversion therapy. The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear a case on the matter, with a decision expected in 2026.
Bethel Church, the group’s primary sponsor, has 11,000 members and an annual budget of $60 million, making it a significant player in northern California’s religious and political landscape.
At the Sacramento rally, Changed Movement founder Ken Williams shared his personal testimony, stating he turned away from same-sex attraction with the help of a Christian psychologist and spiritual counselling. “I got to know God as the one who forgives and has grace for my struggles,” he said.
Conversion therapy has been strongly linked to negative mental health outcomes, including anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and self-harm. Major medical and psychological associations globally have condemned the practice.
However, many argue that rebranding conversion therapy as a religious right is simply a tactical move to maintain influence while continuing to promote harmful pseudoscience.
