Conversion Therapy Bans

So-called “conversion therapy” refers to dangerous and discredited practices aimed at changing one’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Those who peddle this junk “medicine” take advantage of well-meaning but misinformed parents and families and harm their children by inflicting sometimes severe psychological and even physical trauma. In states and municipalities around the country, lawmakers, advocates, and families are coming together to ban this harmful practice.

You can view Equality Federation’s up-to-the-minute tracking of legislation affecting LGBTQ+ people.

ACTION REQUEST:

• Submit testimony in support of conversion therapy ban bills/ordinances
• Raise awareness in the media with op-eds or letters to the editor
• Host a virtual town hall to educate people about this issue
• Post on social media
• Send emails and tweets to lawmakers to encourage them to support a conversion therapy ban

TALKING POINTS:

• Junk medicine is not safe for my child or any [LOCATION NAME] of any age. The practice of so-called “conversion therapy” and other sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts has been discredited by every major, mainstream medical and mental health organization in the U.S. They know that being LGBTQ+ is not a mental illness, so there is nothing to treat. Besides that, research has found no evidence that it is possible to “convert” or change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
• As a member of PFLAG, and a person who is/loves someone who is LGBTQ+, I know that there is no greater gift I can give than to love an LGBTQ+ child or young person for who they are. When a person who is LGBTQ+ is loved and affirmed for their gender and for who and how they love, their risks for doing harmful things to themselves or others goes down. But, when an LGBTQ+ person is rejected by the people they most trust—family members, faith and community leaders, their immediate peers—simply because of their gender or who and how they love, their health and well-being pay a serious price. When you reject an LGBTQ+ person, they can experience depression, anxiety, stress, or even self-harming or suicidal thoughts or actions.
• People in [LOCATION] depend on the law to protect them from harm. Without a law to ban dangerous and discredited practices to “convert” or change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, well-meaning but misinformed parents and caregivers of LGBTQ+ youth have been enrolling their children in junk science therapies.
• It is malpractice for a doctor in [this state/location] to intentionally do harm, and so-called “conversion therapy” is known to cause harm. The best treatment for a child who is LGBTQ+ is for their family to love, accept, and affirm them for who they are.
• We have work to do. It is not enough to rely on individual cities and towns to ban the practice of so-called “conversion therapy.” We must make sure that every [slang name for locals] LGBTQ+ person is protected from dangerous and discredited practices to try to change who they inherently are.