Editing Conversion therapy (section)

===Evolving phraseology===
{{anchor|Phraseology|Evolving phraseology|Same-sex attraction|Same-sex attraction disorder|Same-sex attachment disorder|SSAD}}
{{anchor|Conversion therapy phraseology|phraseology|Evolving phraseology}}
A common term found throughout conversion therapy practices is "same-sex attraction" with various phrases or words connected to it.<ref name="ILGA2020"/><ref name="CreekDunn"/>

The term "same-sex attraction disorder" (SSAD), or sometimes "same-sex attachment disorder" was coined by Richard Fitzgibbon in the 1990s as a replacement for the term gay and the "ex-gay movement" and subsequently popularized in the 2000s by [[Richard A. Cohen]] who, in his book ''Coming Out Straight'', detailed the phrase and invented "diagnosis" that tried to [[Medicalisation of sexuality#Homosexuality|pathologize homosexuality]] as a condition, concluding that "Homosexuality is a Same-Sex Attachment Disorder." The term was picked up by the ex-gay movement in scripts such as "I used to be gay, but I don't think of myself as gay anymore. Now I just experience same-sex attraction."<ref>{{cite web |title=Equivocation and the Ex-Gay Script |url=https://www.centerforfaith.com/blog/equivocation-and-the-ex-gay-script |website=The Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender |access-date=16 September 2025 |language=en |date=18 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Smilges |first1=John |title="Healthy Sexuality": "It's not gay or bad, it's SSAD": Queerness and Masquerade |journal=Canadian Journal of Disability Studies |date=5 July 2018 |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=100–122 |doi=10.15353/cjds.v7i2.426 |url=https://cjds.uwaterloo.ca/index.php/cjds/article/view/426 |access-date=16 September 2025 |language=en |issn=1929-9192|doi-access=free }}</ref>

A 2020 report by [[ILGA]] tracking bans on conversion therapy worldwide explained that in many countries where "conversion therapy" has been banned, "proponents had to reshape and adapt the way in which they present and offer their 'treatment'."<ref name="ILGA2020"/> The report further explains that many proponents of "conversion therapy" try to expressly distance themselves from the term "conversion therapy" or saying they support homosexuality or gender variance and referring to their alternative terminology as being something different. The report describes this effort to "make these pseudo-scientific practices 'a constant moving target'."<ref name="ILGA2020"/>

The report listed a series of common terms used by proponents of "conversion therapy" for their "services" to provide assistance with "unwanted [[same-sex attraction]]"; promoting a "healthy sexuality", addressing "sexual brokenness"; helping clients explore their "gender confusion".<ref name="ILGA2020"/>

In 2022, the ''Global Project Against Hate and Extremism'' (GPAHE) began tracking terms related to conversion therapy online in a report titled ''Conversion Therapy Online: The Ecosystem''. 
The report documents practices, techniques and [[phraseology]] used by groups providing "conversion therapy" under various names to refer to the practice itself, as well as common phrases such as "[[same-sex attracted]]" in relation to conversion therapy targeted at LGBTQ people, in particular [[gay men]] and [[transgender people]].<ref name="GPAHE2022">{{cite web |title=Conversion Therapy Online: The Ecosystem |url=https://globalextremism.org/reports/conversion-therapy-online-the-ecosystem/ |website=Global Project Against Hate and Extremism |access-date=10 September 2025}}</ref>

In January 2024, GPAHE published an updated report for 2023, highlighting that many [[social media]] platforms and search engines are still serving a lot of content related to conversion therapy. Listing examples, using the search term "overcoming same-sex attraction" on [[YouTube]] led to results from religious and non-religious groups serving videos targeting gay and transgender people, such as videos titled "Former LGBTQers Testify: If You No Longer Want to be Gay or Transgender, You Don't Have to Be."<ref name="GPAHE2023">{{cite web |title=Conversion Therapy Online: The Ecosystem In 2023 |url=https://globalextremism.org/reports/conversion-therapy-online-the-ecosystem-in-2023/ |website=[[Global Project Against Hate and Extremism]] |date=1 January 2024|access-date=10 September 2025}}</ref>

In 2022, GPAHE also started creating an ongoing tracking project on organizations connected to the promotion of "conversion therapy" practices online titled ''Conversion Therapy Online: The Players'' to document the actors involved in these activities and show the interconnectedness.<ref name="GPAHE_players">{{cite web |title=Conversion Therapy Online: The Players |url=https://globalextremism.org/reports/conversion-therapy-online-the-players/ |website=Global Project Against Hate and Extremism |access-date=10 September 2025}}</ref> 
The report highlights some larger groups at the center of these efforts such as London-based [[International Federation for Therapeutic and Counseling Choice]] (IFTCC), chaired by Mike Davidson, founder of related [[Core Issues Trust]] (CIT) and several other organizations involved. IFTCC has been hosting annual conferences since its inception in 2015 with the purpose to connect individuals "seeking help with 'same-sex attraction' and 'gender confusion'" with therapists.<ref name="GPAHE_players"/>