Matthew Hyndman, a familiar face to viewers of the hit show *The Traitors*, carries a past marked by a harrowing experience: he narrowly escaped conversion therapy. The ordeal began when private messages revealing his sexuality were inadvertently shared with his entire religious congregation.
The pressure was immediate and intense. He found himself facing a demand to undergo “therapy” – a public attempt to alter his very being – in front of four hundred fellow missionaries. It was a moment of profound vulnerability, a blatant attempt to erase who he was.
He refused. But Matthew understands his resistance wasn’t simply a matter of strength. “You do not have free will with a loaded gun to your head,” he powerfully stated, acknowledging the devastating consequences many face when they dare to defy such practices. For countless individuals, refusing conversion therapy means losing everything – family, faith, community, and a future.
The experience ignited a fire within him. In 2020, he co-founded Ban Conversion Therapy, a UK-wide coalition dedicated to ending these harmful practices. He recognized the urgent need to protect others from the psychological and emotional devastation he had endured.
Conversion therapy, often cloaked in the guise of religious or psychological treatment, is rooted in the false and damaging belief that sexual orientation or gender identity can be changed. Historically, it has encompassed horrific abuses – from physical violence to forced exorcisms – all aimed at suppressing someone’s true self.
Matthew’s former church didn’t simply offer “therapy”; they formally cancelled his membership, citing his “lifestyle choices” and his refusal to participate in their attempts to change him. This rejection underscored the isolating and dehumanizing nature of the prejudice he faced.
Despite growing awareness and the tireless work of advocates like Matthew, a comprehensive legal ban on conversion therapy in the UK remains elusive. Recent surveys reveal the shocking reality that one in ten LGBTQ+ individuals in the UK have been subjected to an ‘exorcism’ as part of these damaging practices.
He describes these “treatments” as deeply degrading and discriminatory, capable of ruining lives. His mission is clear: they must be outlawed. Now, with a larger platform on *The Traitors*, Matthew is poised to amplify his message and continue the fight for a future free from this harmful practice.
His recent strategic move on the show – a bold request to the Traitors – has already been hailed as a masterful play, demonstrating a sharp intellect and unwavering resolve. It’s a testament to a man who has faced immense adversity and emerged determined to create positive change.
