Following Gov. Brian Sandoval’s signature, Nevada has joined California, Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington, D.C in banning health professionals from subjecting minors to “ex-gay therapy,” a harmful procedure that “has been disavowed by medical experts”:
The bill, sponsored by Sen. David Parks (D-Las Vegas), makes it illegal for licensed physicians, therapists, or counselors to engage in therapy intended to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
However, “the ban does not apply to licensed therapists or counselors who are acting in the role of a pastor or other religious adviser,” according to Metro Weekly. This exception in particular is not reassuring, due to the simple fact that many right-wing religious groups recommend this discredited and dangerous practice to questioning and LBGTQ kids in the first place. Child abuse is child abuse, no matter which health professional or “religious adviser” is carrying it out.
“Still, for activists within the LGBTQ communities,” said USA Today, “it’s a step in the right direction”:
The Human Rights Campaign praised Sandoval and Nevada lawmakers for approving the ban.
“No child should be put through the dangerous and inhumane practice of conversion therapy,” HRC President Chad Griffin said in a statement. “Medical professionals agree this outdated and discredited practice not only doesn’t work, but can also have life-threatening consequences. It is nothing short of child abuse.”
Despite the fact that the American Psychiatric Association stated in 1997 that “there is no published scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of ‘reparative therapy’ as a treatment to change one’s sexual orientation,” only D.C. and eight states in the U.S. have passed bills to ban ex-gay therapy. It’s why House Democrats have introduced a bill that would “effectively shut down” this practice:
The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act of 2017 was introduced April 25 by Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), along with Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.). About 70 other members of Congress, all Democrats, have said they support the bill, which would allow the Federal Trade Commission to classify conversion therapy and its practitioners as fraudulent.
“The bill is very simple,” Lieu told The Washington Post. “It says it is fraud if you treat someone for a condition that doesn’t exist and there’s no medical condition known as being gay. LGBTQ people were born perfect; there is nothing to treat them for. And by calling this what it should be, which is fraud, it would effectively shut down most of the organizations.”