Helpline:
800-800-0350
800-800-0350
Thousands of Minnesotans have worked so hard over the last few months to stop the torturous practice known as conversion 'therapy' and today, during OutFront’s LGBTQ Lobby Day, the Minnesota House sent a strong message of support for LGBTQ Minnesotans by including the Mental Health Protections Act (H.F. 12) in the Health and Human Services (HHS) omnibus bill,
Monica Meyer
Written by Carlos Santoscoy
April 27, 2019
A bill that seeks to prohibit therapies that attempt to alter the sexual orientation or gender identity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth cleared the Minnesota House on Thursday.
Such therapies go by names such as “conversion therapy,” “reparative therapy,” “sexual orientation change efforts” or “ex-gay therapy.”
According to the Pioneer Press, the bill cleared the House in a largely partisan vote as an amendment to a much larger health and human services bill. The bill now heads to the Republican-controlled Senate, where passage remains uncertain.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest LGBT rights advocate, and OutFront, Minnesota's largest LGBT rights advocate, cheered the news.
“All children deserve to live authentically and free from fear of this dangerous and discredited practice with potentially life-threatening consequences,” HRC National Field Director Marty Rouse said in a statement. “We thank the Minnesota House of Representatives for taking action on this issue and urge the state Senate to pass this measure and join the growing number of states and municipalities that protect LGBTQ youth from abusive 'conversion therapy.”
“Thousands of Minnesotans have worked so hard over the last few months to stop the torturous practice known as conversion 'therapy' and today, during OutFront’s LGBTQ Lobby Day, the Minnesota House sent a strong message of support for LGBTQ Minnesotans by including the Mental Health Protections Act (H.F. 12) in the Health and Human Services (HHS) omnibus bill,” said Monica Meyer, Executive Director of OutFront Minnesota. “We could not be more proud of every single LGBTQ and Allied person who made this possible.”
Fifteen states plus the District of Columbia have similar laws. Colorado lawmakers recently approved a similar bill and Governor Jared Polis is expected to sign it into law.