We agree with a Republican state senator from Lexington and a Democratic state representative from Louisville that the discredited practice of “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ children needs to be put to an end.
Sen. Alice Forgy Kerr and Rep. Lisa Willner have introduced bills that would ban conversion therapy, which is used to try to change sexual orientation or gender identity of minors.
“This practice is in fact not a therapy at all. (It) attempts to fix something that was never broken,” said Willner, who is sponsoring House Bill 199 — a bill cosponsored by Rep. Derrick Graham, D-Frankfort. “It is a practice that targets some of our most vulnerable and disenfranchised youth.”
Kerr, the sponsor of Senate Bill 85, called it “conversion torture,” as many who have undergone the practice claim it deepened depressive feelings and increased thoughts of suicide.
Zach Meiners, of Louisville, who participated in conversion therapy during his high school years, spoke out against the practice at a rally to promote the bills at the Capitol earlier this month. He said he was publicly shamed and taught to hate who he was.
“It was ingrained in my head that to be gay meant that I was apart from God and that I could never find acceptance, love or fulfillment unless my identity changed,” he said, adding that many parents are led to believe that conversion therapy is akin to seeing a specialist for a health problem. “But that’s not what this is.”
According to the American Psychological Association, conversion therapy is not based in science and is harmful to mental health.
If the legislation passes, it would prohibit public funds from going to any organization providing conversion therapy and mental health professionals who violate the measures would be subject to disciplinary action by the professional licensing agency. In addition to minors, the bills ban conversion therapy for “adults 18 and older who because mental or physical dysfunctioning, is unable to manage his or her own resources, carry out the activity of daily living, or protect himself or herself from neglect, exploitation, or a hazardous or abusive situation without assistance from others, and who may be in need of protective services;” and wards of the state. Adults of sound mind would not be affected.
On Wednesday, socially conservative Utah became the 19th state to ban conversion therapy. In addition to Kentucky, Virginia and Texas lawmakers are also looking into prohibiting the practice.
We believe conversion therapy for children should be banned. In addition to lacking scientific credence, the practice sends the harmful message to children that they are flawed because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
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Cross-posted from the State Journal via the Kentucky Press News Service.