Garrard Conley is an American author and LGBTQ+ activist, best known for his memoir, Boy Erased. Born in 1989 in Arkansas, he grew up in a conservative Christian environment. His experiences with conversion therapy, a practice aimed at changing sexual orientation, deeply influenced his writing and advocacy work. Conley's memoir, published in 2016, details his struggles with identity and the impact of conversion therapy on his life. The book was later adapted into a film in 2018, directed by Joel Edgerton, further amplifying the conversation around LGBTQ+ rights and mental health.