The Obama Administration has replied to a petition on Wednesday stating that it fully is in support of the efforts to prohibit the use of conversion therapy on gay and transgender minor.
The reason behind this announcement is the response to the suicide of Leelah Alcorn, a transgender teenager, who on last December threw herself in front of a trailer-tractor leaving back a suicide note, saying that her parents were forcing her to see a therapist who has tried convincing her to identify herself as a boy.
A WhiteHouse.gov petition has been asking the government to ban practices as such following Alcorn’s death and has acquired more than 120,000 signatures ever since it had been posted in early January.
Valerie Jarrett, a senior adviser to the President Obama, wrote in a statement posted in response to the petition. “We share your concern about its potentially devastating effects on the lives of transgender as well as gay, lesbian, bisexual and queer youth. As part of our dedication to protecting America’s youth, this administration supports efforts to ban the use of conversion therapy for minors.”
The Administration is following the recommendations made by numerous major medical institutions by taking a stance on the practice, which at times has been sometimes referred to as “reparative” therapy. The American Psychological Association has taken a stand against conversion therapy, stating that it poses a threat to the health of the ones forced to endure it. The American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics and World Health Organization has all also condemned this practice.
According to Jarett, Obama would not be issuing an outright call for a federal ban, but he would support efforts to ban this therapy on a state level and that would be a long enough effort.
This is not a total partisan issue. In 2013, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a Republican signed a ban into law, even though similar bills have struggled in other states. A Colorado Senate committee voted 3 to 2 to slay a bill that would have outlawed conversion therapy, earlier on Wednesday. Similar measures are being considered by Nevada and Oregon.
Steven Myers
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