Kentucky Democratic Governor Andy Beshear banned “conversion therapy” for “LGBTQ+ youth” on Wednesday in a sweeping executive order.
“Kentucky cannot possibly reach its full potential unless it is free from discrimination by or against any citizen – unless all our people feel welcome in our spaces, free from unjust barriers and supported to be themselves,” Beshear said in a statement. “Conversion therapy has no basis in medicine or science, and it can cause significant long-term harm to our kids, including increased rates of suicide and depression. This is about protecting our youth from an inhumane practice that hurts them.”
The order applies to therapy for minors under the age of 18, saying, “Discrimination against our LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters, including our LGBTQ+ youth, is unacceptable in this Commonwealth.”
The text of the order makes clear that banned types of therapy include “any practice, treatment, or intervention that seeks or purports to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender.”
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Allowed under the law is any therapy that is either “neutral” regarding “sexual orientation or gender identity” or helps “facilitates an individual’s coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, so long as such practice, treatment, or intervention does not seek to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.”
Critics say the order undermines the rights of parents and their freedom to pursue religious values within their homes.
“Governor Beshear’s executive order is an unlawful action that will hurt children, trample the fundamental rights of Kentucky parents, and suppress free religious expression,” David Walls, executive director of The Family Foundation, said in a statement.
“This order, like previous failed legislative efforts, is designed to promote false LGBTQ ideologies and muzzle Christian counselors, therapists, and pastors from helping children struggling with sexual orientation or gender identity confusion,” Walls continued. “Kentucky parents and their children should be free to seek the faith-based counseling on sexuality and identity issues that they need. The Christian message on sexuality and human dignity is not harmful, it is life-bringing.”
