Transporting the Burden of Justification: The Unethicality of Transgender Conversion Practices

Abstract

Transgender conversion practices involve attempts to alter, discourage, or suppress a person's gender identity and/or desired gender presentation, including by delaying or preventing gender transition. Proponents of the practices have argued that they should be allowed until proven to be harmful. Drawing on the notion of expressive equality, I argue that conversion practices are prima facie unethical because they do not fulfill a legitimate clinical purpose and conflict with the self-understanding of trans communities.