Press Release: Minnesotans Rally to Ban Conversion Therapy

Press Release: Minnesotans Rally to Ban Conversion Therapy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 25, 2019 CONTACT:

Monica Meyer, Executive Director | mmeyer@outfront.org, 612.817.3480‬

Cat Salonek, Policy and Organizing Director | cat@outfront.org, 763.245.8034

Jacob Thomas, Communications Coordinator | jacob@outfront.org, 678.899.5608

PRESS RELEASE — April 25, 2019

LGBTQ Lobby Day and Rally

[Saint Paul] Minnesotans, continuing the fight to end the fraudulent and dangerous practice known as conversion therapy, held a rally at the Minnesota State Capitol as part of a full day of LGBTQ lobbying and workshops. Hundreds of Minnesotans from across the state came together to meet with their legislators to fight for equity for LGBTQ Minnesotans and to demand a stop to conversion “therapy.”

Minnesotans know that conversion “therapy” is not the answer for our children and our families. When families are trying to do what is best for their children and loved ones they should have access to scientifically accurate and medically sound advice not people masquerading pseudoscience as cures to profit off of unsuspecting parents and LGBTQ Minnesotans. Put simply, Minnesota law has already declared that fraud in our commercial sector should not be tolerated. It is time that the fraud of “conversion therapy” be expressly included therein. Minnesotans deserve to be protected from fraud.

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. This was a huge step forward and came after a bitter battle by anti-LGBTQ legislators who attempted to add in a blatantly anti-transgender amendment to the bill. Tony Rivera, a member of OutFront’s Board of Directors, stated, “Minnesotans have led on equality — from the landmark Human Rights Act of 1993 to passing marriage equality and enacting one of the strongest anti-bullying laws in the country — it is time for us to continue to lead by ensuring our youth are not subjected to the torturous practice known as conversion ‘therapy.’”

During the rally, Garrard Conley, author of Boy Erased, shared his powerful story of surviving conversion “therapy” and called on Minnesota’s elected officials to do the right thing and put a definitive end to this harmful practice.

Immediately following the rally, LGBTQ and Allied community members marched to Senator Michelle Benson’s office, chair of the Senate HHS Committee, to deliver erasers and tell her she could not erase our identity by pretending our bill doesn’t exist. They urged her to hear the Mental Health Protections Act in committee and protect Minnesotans instead of putting politics over LGBTQ lives.

OutFront Minnesota’s mission is to create a state where lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people are free to be who they are, love who they love, and live without fear of violence, harassment or discrimination. For more than 30 years we have led the way toward LGBTQ equity.

Speaker List:

Minneapolis City Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins

Monica Meyer, Executive Director, OutFront Minnesota

Roger Sanchez, OutFront Board Member and Conversion Therapy Survivor

Rabbi Michael Latz

Pastor DeWayne Davis

Rebecca Lucero, MN Dept. of Human Rights Commissioner

Sen. Scott Dibble

Rep. Hunter Cantrell

Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan

Garrard Conley

Maria Issa (performer)