House Bans Harmful Practice of Conversion Therapy

BOSTON- This afternoon, Representative David P. Linsky (D-Natick) joined his colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in passing H.4664, An Act relative to abusive practices to change sexual orientation and gender identity in minors. This legislation will ban harmful and deceptive practices used to change the sexual orientation and/or gender identity of minors in the Commonwealth.

These practices, commonly referred to as conversion therapy, attempt to reduce or eliminate sexual orientations other than heterosexual and gender identities other than cisgender. By prohibiting conversion therapy, and subsequently eliminating these harmful consequences, the definition of sanctioned therapy for minors is reinforced as providing acceptance, support and understanding of sexual orientation and gender identity, facilitating coping, social support, exploration and development.

“As a parent myself, I understand and appreciate that different families subscribe to different methods of parenting. Conversion therapy for minors, however, has been proven to be harmful to children, adolescents, and young adults and has been condemned by the American Medical Association and all other medical and mental health organizations,” said Representative Linsky. “Protecting minors­­­­—who are some of the most vulnerable and voiceless residents of the Commonwealth­­—from such damaging practices is a matter of public safety and therefore, needed to be addressed. I am proud to have voted in favor of this legislation.”

H. 4664 further strengthens the rights and protections that the Commonwealth extends to the LGBTQ community since marriage equality was passed in 2004. The bill will prohibit any licensed mental health professional from forcing minors to change their sexual orientation or gender identity, define advertisements promoting conversion therapy as deceptive practices violating consumer protections, and protect therapies to facilitate an individual’s coping, social support, and identity exploration and development.

If signed into law, this legislation will make the Commonwealth the fourteenth state to ban conversion therapy practices.

The House passed H.4664 in a vote of 137-14 and now goes to the Senate for consideration.

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For More Information: Abigail Silverman (617) 722-2575