A bill that seeks to prohibit therapies
that attempt to alter the sexual orientation or gender identity of
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth cleared the Minnesota
House on Thursday.
Such therapies go by names such as
“conversion therapy,” “reparative therapy,” “sexual
orientation change efforts” or “ex-gay therapy.”
According to the Pioneer Press,
the bill cleared the House in a largely partisan vote as an amendment
to a much larger health and human services bill. The bill now heads
to the Republican-controlled Senate, where passage remains uncertain.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the
nation's largest LGBT rights advocate, and OutFront, Minnesota's
largest LGBT rights advocate, cheered the news.
“All children deserve to live
authentically and free from fear of this dangerous and discredited
practice with potentially life-threatening consequences,” HRC
National Field Director Marty Rouse said in a statement. “We thank
the Minnesota House of Representatives for taking action on this
issue and urge the state Senate to pass this measure and join the
growing number of states and municipalities that protect LGBTQ youth
from abusive 'conversion therapy.”
“Thousands of Minnesotans have worked
so hard over the last few months to stop the torturous practice known
as conversion 'therapy' and today, during OutFront’s LGBTQ Lobby
Day, the Minnesota House sent a strong message of support for LGBTQ
Minnesotans by including the Mental Health Protections Act (H.F. 12)
in the Health and Human Services (HHS) omnibus bill,” said Monica
Meyer, Executive Director of OutFront Minnesota. “We could not be
more proud of every single LGBTQ and Allied person who made this
possible.”
Fifteen states plus the District of
Columbia have similar laws. Colorado lawmakers recently approved a
similar bill and Governor Jared Polis is expected to sign it into
law.