Illinois lawmakers have just completed passaged on an important ban on sexual orientation change therapy for minors. What happens now?
The Illinois Senate has just passed legislation banning the practice of conversion therapy on minors, and the bill, having already passed the House, now heads to Governor Bruce Rauner’s desk.
Will he sign it?
If he does, Illinois will join California, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and most recently, Oregon, who have all banned the harmful and ineffective practice of “ex-gay,” “reparative,” or “conversion” therapy, all designed to turn a gay, lesbian, bisexual, person into a heterosexual person.Â
Nearly every major medical organization across the nation, and may around the world, have stated that this type of therapy not only does not work, but can be harmful. It has been tied to suicide for years, including in the recent case of Leelah Alcorn, a transgender teenager whose parents, she claimed before taking her life, sent her to Christian-based conversion therapy.
President Barack Obama has called for a nationwide ban, at the state level, on “ex-gay” therapy.
Just ten days ago, Democratic U.S. Congressman Ted Lieu introduced a bill that goes further than any state law to date to ban the harmful practice of conversion therapy – it calls for a complete ban on the practice, for youth as well as adults.
The Illinois bill, SB 217, also known as the Illinois Youth Mental Health Protection Act, will likely be signed by Republican Governor Rauner, although he has not publicly stated his position.
In March, the Chicago Tribune reported “gay rights advocates said they emerged from a meeting with Gov. Bruce Rauner with a pledge the Republican will strictly enforce anti-discrimination laws and hope that he’ll also support their top legislative priority: a ban on gay conversion therapy for minors.”
Activists are hopeful he will keep his word.
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Image by JanetandPhil via Flickr and a CC license