History Main / CureYourGays

* ''Series/{{Lewis}}'': "Life Born of Fire" opens with [[GayngstInducedSuicide the suicide of a gay man]] who (as it emerges during the course of the episode) was a member of a Christian group that attempted to 'cure' his homosexuality.

* In ''Literature/JulianComstock'', Adam (who is straight) manages to take advantage of this:

* ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'': ''ComicBook/AlanScottGreenLantern'' #2 ties Alan's AdaptationalSexuality to the established backstory that the lantern was created by an inmate at Arkham Asylum by revealing that this was Alan's trans cellmate when he spent some time in Arkham's "Deviancy Wing". Alan starts off genuinely believing he needs help, but after he sees what being "cured" looks like in Billie's case, he stages a jailbreak.

* ''Alan Scott: Comicbook/GreenLantern'' #2 ties Alan's AdaptationalSexuality to the established backstory that the lantern was created by an inmate at Arkham Asylum by revealing that this was Alan's trans cellmate when he spent some time in Arkham's "Deviancy Wing". Alan starts off genuinely believing he needs help, but after he sees what being "cured" looks like in Billie's case, he stages a jailbreak.
* The "Godhead" arc of Robbie Morrison's run of ''ComicBook/TheAuthority'' had John Clay, leader of the religious movement called the Church of Transcendence, attempt to cure Apollo and Midnighter of their homosexuality. His efforts don't do a thing, as Midnighter manages to endure the torture sessions before Swift comes to his rescue and Apollo ultimately softens Clay up in time to be killed by the Doctor.
* Occurs very commonly in ''ComicBook/ChickTracts''. According to him, [[RapeAndSwitch demons possess a child when he's molested and turn him gay]]. Fortunately, just by accepting Jesus as your savior, you exorcise those demons and immediately stop being gay.
* Hilariously {{subverted|Trope}} in [[http://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/2089770.html this]] ''ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica'' issue.[[note]]The RealitySubtext is that the issue was written by Creator/BillWillingham, whose well-known conservative political views had led some readers to worry that he might actually try this in-story.[[/note]]

* Parodied in ''Comicbook/SwampThing'' Vol. 2 #165, an out-of-continuity {{Satire}} on mid-[[TheNineties nineties]] American conservatism. As part of his pendulum shift from [[NewAgeRetroHippie hippiedom]], Chester Williams instantly undoes his ex-girlfriend's lesbianism with a single kiss. Cue MatchCut to the two of them kissing at their wedding.
* ''ComicBook/XMen'' never had to deal with this... literally, anyway. Mutants are [[DependingOnTheWriter sometimes]] used as [[HaveYouTriedNotBeingAMonster a metaphor for homosexuality]], and there have been a number of storylines where someone tries to cure the mutant gene, which almost always backfires. [[[Characters/MarvelComicsEmmaFrost Emma Frost]] discusses this trope with a scientist.

* One storyline in ''Film/FarFromHeaven'' involves Frank trying to "cure" his homosexuality after his wife Cathy catches him making out with a male coworker. Frank attends aversion therapy with a psychiatrist, but quits after a few sessions and has another fling (that eventually becomes a serious relationship) while vacationing in Florida.

* ''Film/TheyThem2022'': The center of the plot, as the cast are residents and staff of a conversion therapy camp for LGBT+ youth. "Conversion" methods range from trying to have them act out in gender normative ways to brutal aversion therapy via ElectricTorture.

* In the 1981 Marathi film ''Film/{{Umbartha}}'', Smita Patil gets a job as director of a reformatory for wayward women. When some of the inmates discover that two women are in a lesbian relationship, violent homophobia erupts and they want to lynch the lesbians. Smita's character, intended to represent the voice of reason, lectures them that gays are not evil and depraved, they are merely mentally ill, and they need treatment to cure them instead of punishing them. In India of 1981, this is what passed for a modern enlightened view: presenting "cure your gays" as the compassionate alternative to lynching. Even that was too progressive for the lesbians in the movie themselves, who immediately [[GayngstInducedSuicide committed suicide]].

* Inverted in ''Literature/TheForeverWar'', in the 24th-century homosexuality is mandatory (as PopulationControl) and heterosexuality is considered a mental disorder that is easily cured. Though it doesn't work on [[FishOutOfTemporalWater oldtimers]] like Mandella. Though at the end [[spoiler:in the 31st century, sexuality becomes a moot point on earth as it's now a HiveMind of clones. But some of Mandella's surviving troops decide to become straight and join colonies of old-fashioned humans.]]

* ''Series/{{Coupling}}'' poked fun at this in an episode that had a lot of fun with Steve's fascination with lesbian porn. In one of the typical misunderstandings, Patrick mistakes Jane's therapist Jill for a lesbian while she thinks that Patrick is gay. Both are unaware of it, both are surprised how open the other is to being turned by the right man/woman, and both end up in bed together. The final scene of the episode is Patrick sporting a happy "wow, I scored a lesbian" smile.

** One episode features someone who went to a conversion camp and became so traumatized by it that he turned into a serial killer who targets gays. Given that the conversion methods involved calling them abominations and having a prostitute "rape them straight", it shouldn't be surprising that it turned out so badly. This episode caused the uproar of many proponents of conversion therapy.

* ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit''. One episode involved a doctor that claims to be able to cure homosexuality who is suspected of murdering his son's (male) lover. He claims he had no idea his son was gay and thought he was being raped [[spoiler:but he knew all along as his son's [[TheBeard beard]]'s mother told him.]] The victim was a former spokesman for an organization that supposedly cures homosexuality; when questioned, members of the group -- a gay man and a lesbian who are married, having been tragically brainwashed and warped by the group -- acknowledge that there's no such thing as a cure for their orientation and that choosing to suppress their sexual desires is as much a "lifestyle choice" as being part of gay culture-- and just as much of a struggle.

* An episode of ''Series/Perception2012'' about the murder of a psychiatrist had it revealed that he was trying to do this with several of his patients. It was eventually learned that the doctor himself was gay and was having an affair with one of the men, who killed him because the doctor wanted to stop his treatment so they could have a legitimate relationship, which would have destroyed his marriage.

* In ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'', Isobel uses her MindControl to compelled a gay cowboy named Frank into her own sex slave and servant. He's shown to having sex with another female servant.

* Inverted in ''Series/TheWarAtHome'', where Dylan, Hillary's ex-boyfriend, turns gay as he began to date Kenny. Dave then commented her as [[LastHetRomance "the gay maker"]].
* ''Series/WillAndGrace''. Subverted in one episode which guest-stars Creator/NeilPatrickHarris (who was still officially in the closet at the time) as the leader of an ex-gay club who Jack gets a crush on [[spoiler:and ends up showering with, after it is discovered that EVERYONE in the club was actually using it as a dating service.]]

* Inverted by ''Webcomic/LeftoverSoup'''s LovableSexManiac Maxine, who underwent months of intense "[[UsefulNotes/{{Pornography}} training]]" to cure her ''hetero''sexuality and become bisexual, pretty much just so she could perv on the ''entire'' population of the planet instead of just half. Apparently, it was easier than giving up bacon was when she decided to go vegan.

* The "rape them straight" variant shows up in ''Webcomic/{{Misfile}}'' when two rednecks overhear Ash and Missi's LesYay conversation and decide to "fix" them. Luckily, a friend of the girls' chases them off by saying he's taken pictures with his phone and is ready to go to the cops. The rednecks let everyone go, but set up an ambush to get the phone and the pictures. [[PayEvilUntoEvil Then an angel kills them both]].
* In ''{{Webcomic/Rain|2010}}'', Rudy and Maria's parents look into camps for "curing" the pair's homosexuality. Both of them receive a book called "How to cure homosexuality and reopen the gates of heaven for yourself" for Christmas.
* Exploited in ''Webcomic/SandraAndWoo''. After Landon's fundamentalist mother forbids him from dating [[GoodBadGirl Larisa]] following a rather disasterous home visit, Michelle intervenes by sending her a call falsly claiming that everyone at school was convinced that Landon was gay and Larisa was curing him. Surprisingly, it works and Landon's mother allows them to continue dating (with the caveat that she never wants to see Larisa again).

** To add further ridiculousness Chris eventually identified as a female lesbian. The plot point was epicly {{retcon}}ned so that all previous mentions of homosexuality in a negative light were now replaced with "Zazi Nombies". Hilariously, they still need to fix it with Chris' pure straight blood.

* In ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'', the arch-Conservative and [[ArmoredClosetGay anti-gay]] Deputy Mayor of Liberty City Brice Dawkins ends up getting outed after evidence is released of him having a relationship with [[CampGay Bernie Craine]]. He continues to deny his homosexuality, insisting he is instead going to "rehab" to correct "personal failings".

** In the episode "Cartman Sucks", Butters' dad worries that Butters is bi-curious. Butters is sent off to a Christian conversion therapy camp, where the idea that the boys there are just "confused" is repeatedly reinforced (if you weren't confused before you went, you will be afterward). At the conversion therapy camp, the boys are miserable and suicide is common. As in, [[RunningGag happens every five minutes]]. Meanwhile [[IncorruptiblePurePureness Butters doesn't have a clue as to what is going on]] (though it doesn't stop him from giving a PatrickStewartSpeech at the end).

* ''ComicBook/XMen'' never had to deal with this... literally, anyway. Mutants are [[DependingOnTheWriter sometimes]] used as [[HaveYouTriedNotBeingAMonster a metaphor for homosexuality]], and there have been a number of storylines where someone tries to cure the mutant gene, which almost always backfires. [[Characters/EmmaFrostWhiteQueen Emma Frost]] discusses this trope with a scientist.

Once quite common, this trope is increasingly becoming a {{discredited|Trope}} one due to homosexuals, in general, being moved to the realm of formerly acceptable targets as well as some cathartic backlash against the once common idea of "curing" homosexuality. There is also the growing body of research showing that homosexuality is likely to have a biological cause, and attempts to "cure" it with psychotherapy or other non-medical techniques are not only usually ineffective but can often be dangerous, and the rejection of this trope by all major medical and psychological organizations such as the American Psychiatric Association. Especially as it can raise the suicide rate of its 'patients' up to 10 times the population average. It is now illegal to subject minors to this in UsefulNotes/{{California}}, with other states following suit; additionally, conversion therapy has been found to be a violation of state consumer-protection laws (essentially, false advertising/fraud, or in trope terms, it's pure [[SnakeOilSalesman snake oil]]) in UsefulNotes/NewJersey (following a 2015 verdict), which likely portends similar findings elsewhere in the US at least (most states' consumer protection laws are worded very similarly). It's also illegal to subject minors to or advertise in Canada.

* ''Series/CriminalMinds''

* ''Series/{{Ellen}}''. Subverted in one episode, in which everyone wishes they could be gay because it's so chic in Hollywood, to the point in which [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYWt2f9jsBE Sean Penn comes out]] to increase his popularity. Being a FakeBrit is the ''real'' atrocity.

* In ''Literature/{{Xanth}}'', a WorldOfPuns, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the ''strait''jacket has this effect.

* ''VisualNovel/SnootGame'', a visual novel made by an anonymous team of Website/FourChan users known collectively as Cavemanon, features this as part of it being a parody/critique of ''VideoGame/GoodbyeVolcanoHigh''. Fang, the protagonist of the latter game, is nonbinary, having come out and transitioned prior to the events of the game. ''Snoot Game'' both belittles and interrogates this identity over the course of its story, and should the player make the right choices, it's eventually revealed that [[spoiler:Fang became nonbinary out of peer pressure from Trish]]. The game's two best endings feature Fang detransitioning into a cis woman, while in the two worst endings, Fang stays nonbinary and [[spoiler:either becomes a school shooter or a washed-up, drug-addicted loser]].

* In the world of ''[[Literature/ReplicaSeries Replica]]'', homosexuality is a tricky situation. It is considered acceptable for the two lower classes (Employees and the Basement) to express themselves in such a way. The powerful Executive class forbids it and any Executive who identifies as such are sent to a special place for reprogramming.

* ''VideoGame/SnootGame'', a visual novel made by an anonymous team of Website/FourChan users known collectively as Cavemanon, features this as part of it being a parody/critique of ''VideoGame/GoodbyeVolcanoHigh''. Fang, the protagonist of the latter game, is nonbinary, having come out and transitioned prior to the events of the game. ''Snoot Game'' both belittles and interrogates this identity over the course of its story, and should the player make the right choices, it's eventually revealed that [[spoiler:Fang became nonbinary out of peer pressure from Trish]]. The game's two best endings feature Fang detransitioning into a cis woman, while in the two worst endings, Fang stays nonbinary and [[spoiler:either becomes a school shooter or a washed-up, drug-addicted loser]].

* ''Literature/TheBible'': Paul the apostle in [[Literature/BookOfCorinthians 1st Corinthians]] seems to believe it is possible through the power of God working in people's lives. In 1st Corinthians 6:9-10, he lists "effeminates" and "abusers of themselves with mankind" (read today as "homosexuals") as among those who will not inherit the Kingdom of God. In verse 11, he says, "And such were some of you — but you have been washed, you have been sanctified, and you have been justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God."

** Inverted in "Cooter", when a "gay bomb" weapon malfunctions, causing Jack and Pentagon brass to start hitting on each other. In a later episode, it is implied things went further as Jack fretted about meeting a general he'd had sex with under the influence.[[note]]''Series/ThirtyRock''[='=]s writers were aware that this was an experimental weapon the military was actually working on, but it wasn't necessarily a gay bomb, more a pheromone gas that made people have sex with [[AnythingThatMoves anyone nearby]] as a way of distracting the other side. They never actually got it past the planning stages, for the obvious reason of it being a ridiculously stupid idea.[[/note]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', Peter becomes gay after a medical experiment and leaves Lois. Stewie and Brian then take Peter by force to a Christian "Straight Camp." Doesn't work, but by the end of the episode his "gay gene" naturally wears off (just between an all-male orgy) and [[StatusQuoIsGod he's back as a "straight" man]]. Peter, through the years, seems to be just as inclined towards AnythingThatMoves as Quagmire, so how much of this really was Peter being "turned" and then "cured" of homosexuality vs. something making Peter react much more strongly to male pheromones than normal combining with his penchant for self-delusion is anyone's guess.

** {{Averted|Trope}}, {{subverted|Trope}}, {{inverted|Trope}}, and possibly {{played straight}} with Mr. Garrison: he has gone back and forth between being a man preferring women, a transgender woman preferring men, a transgender woman preferring women, back to a cisgender man preferring women, and back to a man preferring men. [[AnythingThatMoves Horses and other barnyard animals may have been sprinkled throughout]]. The general consensus is that Mr. Garrison has not so much "been cured of being homosexual" twice over as he is simply so psychologically depraved that he'll become sexually attracted to whatever is considered the most "deviant" thing to be attracted to at that very moment, just because it's considered "vile".