Despite bans and limitations in 21 states, conversion therapy still has its foothold in religious communities throughout the U.S.
A 2023 report published by the Public Library of Science stated that the practice is associated with “severe psychological distress, depression, substance abuse, and attempted suicide” — even years later.
When Ryan Josiah, an ex-Mormon, first started attending the Utah Pride Parade, he wanted to find a way to mitigate that “super harmful practice.”
So he adopted a new persona, “Sparkly Gay Jesus,” and began raising money for Conversion Therapy Survivor Network.
At the time of this writing, Josiah had surpassed his fundraising goal for Utah Pride 2025 — a full two months before the parade.
“You have to understand just why gay Jesus is so popular at Pride,” he explained in a TikTok video.
“It all has to do with religious trauma. For some reason, being told that you, just by virtue of being you, are inherently broken … evil even, and that the only guy who can save you from yourself lived a couple 1,000 years ago is hurtful. It’s especially true for the LGBTQ+ community.”
In 2024 Josiah traded in his $20 “Amazon costume” for a custom-made, sequined robe and rainbow sash. Josiah said that over one thousand people took photos with him — with many breaking down into tears as he embraced them.
“Jesus was always supposed to represent love, right?” Josiah said. “Isn’t that what Jesus is all about? So to have Jesus show up at this festival, that’s all about celebrating love, celebrating loving them even, that’s healing somehow.”
In a recent video, Josiah poked fun at the criticism he’s received for his online moniker (in a lip-sync to a popular scene from the television show “Community.”)
In the cadence of one of his trolls, Josiah said: “I can excuse electroshock therapy, but I draw the line at you dressing up as Jesus.”
Josiah replied with an outraged cry of, “You can excuse electroshock therapy!?”
A version of this article originally appeared in the 2025 Pride Edition of the Goodnewspaper.
Header image via FRANK MERIÑO / Pexels
