Until we are able to report that the United States Government bans conversion therapy, we will still be very happy to continue sharing reports of cities and states making the ban happen for their citizens. Two of the more recent municipalities were Seattle and Pittsburgh (Victory In Seattle. City Council Unanimously Bans Gay Conversion Therapy & Pittsburgh Bans Conversion Therapy. First City In PA To Do So). Now, a state may be next to ban the practice.
The Senate in New Mexico voted yesterday to ban so-called conversion therapy for gay, bisexual and transgender people. The vote in favor of Senate Bill 121 (SB121) was a convincing 32–6.
The legislation will now be forwarded to the House of Representatives, which is controlled by the Democrats (38 Democrats against 32 Republicans).
If passed, it will mean that any doctor, psychologist or other health professional who offers and conducts such an attempt at therapy can lose their license.
The bill was sponsored by Senator Jacob Candelaria (D-Albuquerque), who is himself gay.
He said ahead of the vote, ‘When you’re a young Hispanic Catholic kid growing up in Albuquerque and folks use some horrible words to describe you, both to your face and behind your back … that hurts. That is abuse. And I hope we don’t adopt the assumption that the only form of abuse is physical abuse.’ – medium.com
The list is small, but California, Illinois, New Jersey, Oregon, and Vermont are the ones looking out for our LGBT youth and Washington, D.C. as all have banned conversion therapy. Pennsylvania has a bill in front of them and New York has the P.E.N.C.E bill, too looking to be made law (Prevention of Emotional Neglect and Childhood Endangerment). As for cities, on February 7, 2017, Toledo, Ohio was the most recent city to join Seattle, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Miami Beach in banning the awful so called therapy.
We wish you the best New Mexico. Your Senate has done it's part, now we hope the House does the same.