In Kerala, the issues regarding conversion therapy are quite high. After five months regarding the death of Anjana Harish, a queer student from Kerala, a writ petition has been filed at the Kerala High Court, asking for a ban on the practice of ‘conversion therapy’ on LGBTQIA+ persons by mental health practitioners in the state. It was conversion therapy – an illegal pseudoscience practice that claims to ‘cure’ queer persons that allegedly led to the death by suicide of Anjana in May.

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The petition asking for a ban of this inhuman practice was recorded by Queerala, an organization based in Kerala for the welfare of LGBTQIA+ people, and Raghav, trans activist and board member of Malayalee Transmen Association (MATA). The High Court will have a hearing of the matter on October 28. “We had submitted a complaint to the Kerala State Mental Health Authority to look into this matter of mental health service providers practicing conversion therapy. A copy was also sent to the Health Secretary,” says Rajashree Raju, board member of Queerala. However, there has been no response so far.

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In the months that followed, queer people across the state were stuck at home with parents who did not accept them and took them to mental health practitioners. Yet another woman had a breakdown after being ‘counseled’ by a mental health practitioner. She had realized she was a lesbian after attending a session by Queerala and went to see a counselor who gave her medicines. 

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