The Massachusetts House on Wednesday
overwhelmingly voted to ban 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.”
The bill cleared the House with a
137-14 vote. It now heads to the Senate.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the
nation's largest LGBT rights advocate, called on the Senate to
approve the measure.
“No child should be subjected to this
abusive practice that has been condemned by every major medical and
mental health organization,” said HRC National Field Director Marty
Rouse. “Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agree on these
critically important protections for Massachusetts’ LGBTQ youth. We
urge the Massachusetts Senate to swiftly pass this bipartisan
legislation and send it to the governor.”
Similar legislation has been enacted in
New Hampshire, Hawaii, Maryland, Washington, Connecticut, California,
Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Illinois, Vermont, New York, Rhode
Island, New Mexico and the District of Columbia. Lawmakers in
Delaware
and Maine
have approved similar bills. An increasing number of local
municipalities have also enacted similar protections, particularly in
Florida. In March, Milwaukee
became the first municipality in Wisconsin to enact such a ban.