Matt Walsh, host of the Daily Wire’s “The Matt Walsh Show,” recently sparked an uproar by expressing support for conversion therapy, challenging the widely accepted notion that sexual orientation is immutable.
Particularly controversial were his remarks concerning being “born gay,” which he mocked, according to a Media Matters transcript published last month, by suggesting the idea implies the existence of “homosexual infants.”
“If people are born gay - like, born gay. You're gay from birth. Right? That's what that would mean. And then that means that there are what? Homosexual infants out there? Again, no sane person thinks that,” Walsh said.
Walsh’s comments have been criticized for perpetuating harmful stereotypes and misinformation regarding the LGBTQ+ community.
Related: Matt Walsh Is Getting Paid for His Transphobia on YouTube Again: Report
His remarks come at a time when a significant coalition, known as the United States Joint Statement (USJS), is working tirelessly to eradicate the harmful practice of conversion therapy. The USJS, comprising 28 influential mental health and medical organizations in the United States, has been making strides in advocating for the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals and condemning conversion therapy.
Guy Albert, a co-director of the USJS, emphasized during a recent press call, “We are dedicated to ensuring that nobody is ever exposed to these harmful practices ever again,” highlighting the collective effort to protect the LGBTQ+ community from such harmful practices.
Critics argue that Walsh’s comments dismiss the substantial evidence and the consensus within the medical community regarding the damaging impacts of conversion therapy. This practice, aimed at changing an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, has been associated with severe psychological trauma, depression, anxiety, and long-lasting emotional distress.
Advocacy efforts against conversion therapy continue to gain traction across the county. So far, 21 states, the District of Columbia, and numerous cities and counties have taken legislative action against conversion therapy on minors.