Our America with Lisa Ling Season 2 Episode 101 Pray the Gay Away Revisited

Our America with Lisa Ling is an informative and thought-provoking documentary series that explores many of the most important social and cultural issues of our time. In season two, episode 101, titled Pray the Gay Away Revisited, Lisa Ling returns to explore the controversial practice of so-called "conversion therapy" for LGBTQ+ individuals.

In this episode, Ling revisits one of the most unforgettable stories from her series' first season, which chronicled the experiences of four gay men who underwent conversion therapy in an attempt to change their sexual orientation. This time, Ling returns to see how these men are doing, and to delve deeper into the ongoing debate surrounding conversion therapy.

Throughout the episode, Ling speaks with the men featured in her original report, as well as with experts, activists, and survivors of conversion therapy. Together, they discuss the harmful effects of these therapies, which use various methods to try to "cure" homosexuality, often with disastrous results.

As the episode unfolds, Ling shares powerful stories of individuals who have been traumatized by conversion therapy, including one man who was forced to undergo electric shocks and emerge from an ice bath while images of men having sex were flashed before his eyes. Ling also speaks with a mother whose son tragically took his own life after being subjected to conversion therapy.

Despite the overwhelming evidence of the harm conversion therapy can do, these programs remain legal in many parts of the United States, and continue to be promoted by conservative religious groups. Ling speaks with leaders of these groups, as well as with survivors who are now leading the fight to ban conversion therapy nationwide.

Ultimately, Pray the Gay Away Revisited is a powerful and emotional exploration of one of the most divisive issues facing the LGBTQ+ community. Through the personal stories of survivors and experts, Ling sheds light on the deep psychological and emotional harm caused by conversion therapy, and the urgent need to ban these practices once and for all.