Bill would ban the 'gay cure'

[hrmjustin]

By Kelly Fay

Lawmakers and a leading LGBT civil rights organization are reinvigorating the fight to protect youth from psychological abuse. The Empire State Pride Agenda recently launched a campaign to push lawmakers to pass legislation that would prevent mental health care professionals from conducting "gay conversion therapy" on minors.

The legislation (A.06983-a/S.04917-a) would amend the Education Law and designate attempts to change the sexual orientation of those under 18 as professional misconduct. California — and most recently New Jersey — have enacted similar legislation. Sen. Brad Hoylman, D-Manhattan, author of the legislation, and former president of the Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats, has called conversion therapy among the worst frauds in history.

"Banning this so-called 'therapy' is a bipartisan issue," Hoylman said. "Since last spring legislation has passed with bipartisan support in New Jersey and was upheld by a federal court in California. It's time for New York to protect our kids from this insidious practice, which has been thoroughly discredited by experts and poses a serious threat to the health and well-being of LGBT youth."

The senator highlighted the importance of protecting minors saying lesbian, gay and bisexual youth are five times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual youth and urged his fellow lawmakers to put an end to this attack on children.


http://www.legislativegazette.com/Articles-Top-Stories-c-2014-01-21-86470.113122-Bill-would-ban-the-gay-cure.html

[hrmjustin]

1. I will be calling my state reps to support this.