Columbus City Council on Monday
approved legislation that prohibits therapies that attempt to alter
the sexual orientation or gender identity of lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgender (LGBT) youth.
According to NBC affiliate WCMH, the
vote was unanimous.
Such therapies go by names such as
“conversion therapy,” “reparative therapy” or “ex-gay
therapy.” Medical professionals have called the therapies
ineffective and could possibly damage a young person.
Columbus joins Cincinnati and Toledo in
approving such bans.
“Columbus just became the 3rd
city in Ohio to ban conversion therapy,” LGBT rights group Equality
Ohio tweeted.
Attempts to approve a state-wide ban
have failed.
Elsewhere in the state, Akron became
the 17th city to approve a law that prohibits
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender
identity.
(Related: Akron
approves LGBT protections.)