The New Hampshire House on Tuesday
rejected two bills that sought to prohibit therapies that attempt to
alter the sexual orientation or gender identity of lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender youth.
Such therapies go by names such as
“conversion therapy,” “reparative therapy” or “ex-gay
therapy.”
According to Seacoast
Online, Republican House Speaker Gene Chandler broke tie votes on
both bills.
The New Hampshire Log Cabin
Republicans, a group that represents LGBT conservatives, had backed
the bills.
“The American Psychological
Association, the American Psychiatric Association and the American
Medical Association have all denounced reparative, or conversion,
therapy as ineffective and potentially harmful, especially for
children,” NH Log Cabin Republicans co-chairs Jennifer Horn and
Doug Palardy said in a statement. “The most constructive and
effective thing we can do for young people who are struggling with
their sexual identity or coming out as gay, is to be as loving and
accepting as possible.”
“As Log Cabin Republicans we believe
that all men and women must have equal rights under the constitution
and we continue to work toward a day when all men and women, gay and
straight, young and old, are accepted in their families and
communities for who they are,” they added.
Palardy is married to state Senator Dan
Innis, a Republican from New Castle.
States which have enacted such bans
include Connecticut, California, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon,
Illinois, Vermont, New York, Rhode Island and New Mexico. An
increasing number of local municipalities have also enacted similar
protections, particularly in Florida.
(Related: Florida:
Broward County bans “ex-gay” therapy to youth.)