Trajetórias Identitárias Pós-Prática de Conversão: uma Análise Interpretativa Fenomenológica com Homens Homossexuais

Abstract

This qualitative study, developed within the scope of a master's thesis, seeks to understand the experiences of Portuguese and Brazilian homosexual men who underwent sexual orientation conversion practices, with an emphasis on the trajectories followed in the years after these experiences. The research employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), using semi-structured interview guides, in order to explore in depth the participants' subjective experiences, the associated emotions, the processes of identity reconstruction, and the meanings attributed to these experiences over time and within their sociocultural contexts. Three superordinate themes were identified (Disempowerment and Vulnerability, Relational and Identity Trajectories in Post-Conversion Life and Empowerment and Identity Reconstruction), along with seven subordinate themes, which reflect the complexity of the lived trajectories. The findings reveal that these practices, often motivated by religious, family, and social pressures, contribute to intense feelings of shame, guilt, and anxiety, foster the concealment of LGBTQIA+ identity, and exacerbate psychological suffering through the internalisation of homophobia and heterosexism. Nevertheless, participants report significant efforts to reframe their narratives, notably through strategies of empowerment, identity reconstruction, and self-affirmation. The study underscores the importance of affirmative, multicultural and ethically informed clinical responses, the training of healthcare professionals, and engagement with religious communities, as well as the implementation of awareness campaigns and public policies to prevent and combat these practices, which still persist today. By giving visibility to these experiences, this work contributes to a deeper understanding of the impact of conversion practices on the mental health and well-being of LGBTQIA+ men, while also affirming the urgency of creating social, clinical, and political spaces that foster dignity, equality, and humanity.