18 Experiments That Crossed Every Line, Ranked By Cruelty

During apartheid-era South Africa, military authorities targeted gay soldiers through a program led by psychiatrist Dr. Aubrey Levin. Around 900 men were subjected to abusive “treatments” involving medications, psychological conditioning, and invasive procedures in an attempt to change their identity. The project left lasting physical and emotional damage, while Levin later faced accusations of abuse from former patients. Today, conversion practices are widely condemned by medical organizations as harmful and unsupported by science.