Living Through the Hell That Was Church-Sanctioned Gay Conversion Therapy

In the 1960s, Australia was a brazenly homophobic place. Found guilty of sodomy, someone could face life in prison. Same-sex relationships were illegal in every state and territory across the country. Murders and beatings of gay men were commonplace. "Realising I was gay, in the 60s, in Sydney… was quite a frightening experience," an anonymous caller tells VICE in our latest Off the Record. "Everything around me told me that this was wrong… If I was caught, people were try to kill me with electric shocks or some sort of aversion therapy."

After a string of secretive brief sexual encounters, our caller began to feel ashamed about his sexuality. "I attempted suicide," he says. "About 12 months after that I thought, well, if there's anyone that's going to be the answer, it's going to be God." And this is how, in his early 20s, our caller ended up in a church-sanctioned gay conversion therapy program.

Ambassadors & Bridge Builders International was created to further understanding and acceptance for LGBTI people, empower community members and build bridges with religious organisations and leaders.

WATCH: Surviving gay conversion therapy in 1960s Sydney

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