Kentucky Governor Bans Use of Conversion Therapy on Minors
Andy Beshear issued an executive order on Wednesday banning the controversial practice of "conversion therapy" for minors in the state.The executive order, signed by Beshear on Wednesday, prohibits the use of state or federal funds for conversion therapy on minors and grants Kentucky's licensure board the authority to discipline any licensed professional found to be practicing it.Also termed "reparative therapy," conversion therapy is the umbrella term for efforts to discourage or change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity, according to the American Psychological Association.The APA—which refers to the practices as "sexual orientation change efforts" or "gender identity change efforts"—says that these operate under the assumption that such identities "are illnesses that must be cured" and criticized the common use of "an array of psychosocially harmful techniques, including public shaming or inducing adverse physiological reactions."Beshear, a Democratic governor, took the decisive step using his executive powers after the Republican-controlled state legislature blocked multiple legislative attempts to prohibit the therapy."Let's be clear: conversion therapy has no basis in medicine or science, and it has been shown to increase rates of suicide and depression," Beshear said in a statement. "This is about doing what is right and protecting our children.
