March 07, 2017 12:35 PM UTC

Colorado House Passes "Conversion Therapy" Ban (Again)

• 5 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

A press release from One Colorado, the state’s principal LGBT advocacy group, cheers the state house passage of House Bill 17-1156—this year’s bill to ban the controversial practice of what’s known as “conversion therapy” to “cure” LGBT kids of their homosexuality:

“House Bill 1156 will protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth in Colorado from discredited and dangerous efforts to change their sexual orientation or gender identity. So-called ‘conversion therapy’ is extremely harmful to the well-being of young people.

“Every mainstream mental and medical professional association in the country has discounted conversion therapy. In Colorado, many major behavioral and mental health organizations — including the Colorado Psychological Association, the Colorado Psychiatric Society, the Colorado Counseling Association, Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council, Mental Health Colorado, and the National Association of Social Workers – Colorado Chapter — support HB-1156.

“These harmful practices use rejection, shame, and psychological abuse to force young people to try to change who they are. Unfortunately, many young people are coerced and subjected to conversion therapy, which puts them at increased risk for depression, substance abuse, and suicide.

“No young person should ever be shamed by a mental health professional into thinking that who they are or who they love is wrong. As this bill moves over to the Colorado Senate, we hope that Republican leadership will give the bill a fair committee assignment and hearing.”

The bill passed on a 38-27 vote in the House, with GOP Rep. Dan Thurlow joining with Democrats to advance the bill to the Republican-controlled Senate. In past years, that has been where this bill has died despite widespread opposition to the practice of “conversion therapy” by mainstream psychologists and LGBT advocates. This year, Republican allies against conversion therapy are perhaps more vocal than they have been in previous years, reflecting increasing impatience with the party’s socially conservative moral grandstanders:

Republicans on the committee should show a heart, a spine, a brain and some foresight by voting for the conversion therapy ban. #copolitics https://t.co/QjAqAn5V7N

— Josh (@joshpenryUSA) February 28, 2017

We’ll let you know if it makes a difference in the Colorado Senate this year.