The Cincinnati City Council on
Wednesday approved an ordinance which prohibits therapies aimed at
altering the sexual orientation or gender identity of minors.
Council approved the law with a 7-2
vote, the Cincinnati
Enquirer reported.
Supporters of so-called “conversion”
therapy decried the move as an assault on free speech and freedom of
religion.
“I believe the city should stay out
of this,” Dr. Dan Ferrell, a pastor, said. “It says something
about you. Maybe other cities have better sense.”
“This council will create another
type of bondage for something people themselves have a right to seek
liberty from,” said Bishop Victor Cousins.
Scott Greenwood, a civil rights lawyer,
said that council was within its rights to regulate such therapies,
often referred to as “ex-gay” therapy.
“The people who referred to this as
free speech or freedom of religion are misguided because if it's
therapy, then it's medical therapy,” Greenwood told the Enquirer.
“By definition, that is not speech and not free exercise of
religion.”
(Related: Obama
supports bans on “ex-gay” therapy to minors.)