Conversion Therapy Must End

In Massachusetts the Joint Committee on Children, Families & People With Disabilities held a hearing Tuesday June 6th on SB 62/HB 1190, An Act relative to abusive practices to change sexual orientation & gender identity in minors, also known as the Conversion Therapy Ban Bill. This bill would prohibit state-licensed mental health professionals from engaging in practices aimed at changing a minor’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Deborah Shields MassEquality Executive Director stated, "In today's successful hearing on the Conversion Therapy Ban Bill, we made a compelling case for banning the dangerous & discredited practice of conversion therapy on minors. To date, nine other states & Washington, D.C. have passed similar laws & Rhode Island is poised to become the next state to do so. It is past time for Massachusetts, which has long been at the forefront of promoting fairness & equality for all, to join these states in preventing young people from being harmed by these abusive & traumatizing techniques…MassEquality thanks the conversion therapy survivors who courageously testified before the committee today, those who submitted written testimony in favor of the bill, our many supporters who have contacted their legislators to urge them to vote in favor of this bill & our colleagues & partners who have worked with us to advocate for this much-needed legislation. We are confident that the committee will report favorably on this bill and that soon, LGBTQ youth in Massachusetts will no longer face these dangerous & abusive practices."

For More Info: massequality.org
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