Amy Coney Barrett
Press Releases

With ‘Sexual Preference,’ Amy Coney Barrett Implies that Orientation Can Change

by Born Perfect Staff

Amy Coney BarrettContact: Christopher Vasquez,
NCLR Communications Director
cvasquez@nclrights.org / (415) 365-1337

“This is why so many people, including many parents who send their children to conversion therapy, think being LGBTQ is a choice. As judges know, language matters.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today during confirmation hearings in front of the United States Senate Judiciary Committee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett used the dangerous term “sexual preference” when responding to Sen. Dianne Feinstein about her commitment to equality for the LGTBQ community. LGBTQ people have cautioned against use of the outdated term “preference” for many years because of its false and harmful implication that an individual’s sexual orientation is a choice that can be changed.

“Conversion therapy preys on vulnerable families and youth by promoting the deadly lie that being LGBTQ is a choice,” said Mathew Shurka, Born Perfect co-founder and chief strategist. “Believing that lie has caused incalculable damage to LGBTQ young people, who urgently need to know that they are born perfect. We hope that Judge Amy Coney Barrett and all people in positions of visibility and influence will consider the impact of their words on these vulnerable youth.”

“When Amy Coney Barrett used the term ’sexual preference’ in her testimony before the Senate today, she perpetuated the dangerous and false stereotype that being LGBTQ is not a fundamental aspect of identity, but a mere ’preference,’ said Shannon Minter, NCLR Legal Director. “This is why so many people, including many parents who send their children to conversion therapy, think being LGBTQ is a choice. As judges know, language matters.”

Born Perfect is the leading campaign to end conversion therapy. We are survivors, lawyers, and policy experts working together to protect LGBTQ+ people nationally and around the globe. Born Perfect is a program of National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR).

instagram
Press Releases

Facebook, Instagram to Remove Content that Promotes Conversion Therapy

by Born Perfect Staff

“We consulted with Facebook’s team directly on creating an algorithm to help detect advertising by conversion therapists and delete those advertisements,” said Mathew Shurka, Born Perfect co-founder and chief strategist. Now Instagram has implemented a broader ban.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2020

Contact: Christopher Vasquez
NCLR Communications Director 
cvasquez@nclrights.org / (415) 365-1337

MENLO PARK, California — Facebook and Instagram announced today that they will exclude content that promotes the harmful practice of conversion therapy – a step taken to curtail online hatred and harmful disinformation. Facebook owns Instagram.

Earlier this year, the company announced that it would no longer accept ads that promote fake “cures” for sexual orientation and gender identity. These fraudulent treatments have been shown to cause shame, depression, low self-esteem, and sometimes suicide amongst LGBTQ youth. Born Perfect worked with Facebook on this initiative.

“We consulted with Facebook’s team directly on creating an algorithm to help detect advertising by conversion therapists and delete those advertisements,” said Mathew Shurka, Born Perfect co-founder and chief strategist.

Now the official restriction applies to all content, not just ads.

“These fraudulent practitioners and organizations have exploited platforms like Instagram to prey on vulnerable LGBTQ people,” said Shurka. “Removing this harmful practice will save lives.”

Facebook explains why

“We don’t allow attacks against people based on sexual orientation or gender identity and are updating our policies to ban the promotion of conversion therapy services,” Tara Hopkins, public policy director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said in a statement reported by CNN. “We have removed violating content from @coreissuestrusttv. We are always reviewing our policies and will continue to consult with experts and people with personal experiences to inform our approach.”

Born Perfect calls upon other social media to follow Facebook’s example, and actively reduce harmful disinformation against LGBTQ+ people on their platforms.

Born Perfect is the leading campaign to end conversion therapy. We are survivors, lawyers, and policy experts working together to protect LGBTQ+ people nationally and around the globe. Born Perfect is a program of National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR).

Victor Madrigal-Borloz
Press Releases

Born Perfect Applauds United Nations’ Call for a Global Ban on Conversion Therapy

by Born Perfect Staff

“Today’s action by the United Nations marks a huge turning point in the global effort to end conversion therapy.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 8, 2020

Contact: Christopher Vasquez, NCLR Communications Director 
cvasquez@nclrights.org / (415) 365-1337

GENEVA, Switzerland — Today, the United Nations’ Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity called for a global ban on the practices of so-called “conversion therapy,” stating that such practices “inflict severe pain and suffering on lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender-diverse (LGBT) persons, often resulting in long-lasting psychological and physical damage.” 

“Today’s action by the United Nations marks a huge turning point in the global effort to end this deadly practice,” said Born Perfect Co-Founder and Chief Strategist Mathew Shurka. “I spent five years in conversion therapy, trapped in systemic torture by therapists who falsely claimed that they could change my sexual orientation. I know firsthand how devastating these practices are, and how much lasting harm they cause to LGBTQ people and their families. The independent expert and the U.N.’s leadership have the power and influence to encourage  member states to protect LGBTQ people from this abuse.”

Also known as “ex-gay” or “reparative” therapy, conversion therapy practices claim to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. These practices have been condemned as dangerous, unethical, and ineffective by medical and mental health organizations, which have warned that conversion therapy provides no benefits and puts patients at risk of serious harm, including depression and suicide.

In preparing today’s report to the Human Rights Council, the independent expert, Victor Madrigal-Borloz, collected data on conversion therapy practices as well as the testimonies of survivors.

His report draws from 130 submissions from governments, civil society organizations, religious organizations, health providers, and survivors of “ex-gay” or “reparative” therapy. In extreme cases around the world, attempts to change sexual orientation or gender identity include beatings, rape, electrocution, forced medication, isolation and confinement, forced nudity, and verbal humiliation. In the United States, these practices often consist primarily of counseling based on shaming, disinformation, isolation, and efforts to turn parents and LGBTQ people against each other.

“Born Perfect is incredibly proud to have supported and contributed our work to the U.N. report,” Shurka said. “We stand with the U.N. Independent Expert in calling for a global ban, letting every child know they are Born Perfect.”

Harvard Hosts U.N. Consultation Including Born Perfect

Last February, Shurka spoke alongside Madrigal-Borloz to the Harvard Law School Human Rights Program about his experiences undergoing conversion therapy. The meeting was convened as part of Madrigal-Borloz’s U.N. mandate.

“Survivors are at the forefront of the movement to end conversion therapy,” Shurka told the program. “They have changed the hearts and minds of legislators and policymakers by sharing their stories.”

Shannon Minter, legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, agreed.

“Today’s report confirms that conversion therapy is a human rights abuse, not a legitimate treatment,” Minter said. “Our local, state, and national leaders now have even more support to protect youth from this harmful practice.”

Born Perfect is the leading campaign to end conversion therapy. We are survivors, lawyers, and policy experts working together to protect LGBTQ+ people nationally and around the globe. Born Perfect is a program of National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR).

Black Lives Matter
Press Releases

LGBTQ Organizations Unite to Combat Racial Violence

by Born Perfect Staff

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” Those words, written over 30 years ago by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, remind us that indifference can never bridge the divide of hate. And, today, they should serve as a call to action to all of us, and to the Movement for LGBTQ equality.

This spring has been a stark and stinging reminder that racism, and its strategic objective, white supremacy, is as defining a characteristic of the American experience as those ideals upon which we claim to hold our democracy — justice, equality, liberty.  

  • We listened to the haunting pleas of George Floyd for the most basic of human needs — simply, breath — as a Minneapolis police officer kneeled with cruel indifference on his neck. 
  • We felt the pain of Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend as he called 9-1-1 after plainclothes Louisville police kicked down the door of their home and shot her eight times as she slept in her bed.
  • We watched the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery by white vigilantes in Brunswick, GA, aware that they evaded the consequence of their actions until the video surfaced and sparked national outrage.
  • We saw the weaponizing of race by a white woman who pantomimed fear in calling the police on Christian Cooper, a Black gay man bird-watching in Central Park.
  • We have heard and read about the killings of transgender people — Black transgender women in particular — with such regularity, it is no exaggeration to describe it as a epidemic of violence. This year alone, we have lost at least 12 members of our community: Dustin Parker, Neulisa Luciano Ruiz, Yampi Méndez Arocho, Monika Diamond, Lexi, Johanna Metzger, Serena Angelique Velázquez Ramos, Layla Pelaez Sánchez, Penélope Díaz Ramírez, Nina Pop, Helle Jae O’Regan, and Tony McDade.

All of these incidents are stark reminders of why we must speak out when hate, violence, and systemic racism claim — too often with impunity — Black Lives.

The LGBTQ Movement’s work has earned significant victories in expanding the civil rights of LGBTQ people. But what good are civil rights without the freedom to enjoy them?

Many of our organizations have made progress in adopting intersectionality as a core value and have committed to be more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. But this moment requires that we go further — that we make explicit commitments to embrace anti-racism and end white supremacy, not as necessary corollaries to our mission, but as integral to the objective of full equality for LGBTQ people.

We, the undersigned, recognize we cannot remain neutral, nor will awareness substitute for action. The LGBTQ community knows about the work of resisting police brutality and violence. We celebrate June as Pride Month, because it commemorates, in part, our resisting police harassment and brutality at Stonewall in New York City, and earlier in California, when such violence was common and expected. We remember it as a breakthrough moment when we refused to accept humiliation and fear as the price of living fully, freely, and authentically. 

We understand what it means to rise up and push back against a culture that tells us we are less than, that our lives don’t matter. Today, we join together again to say #BlackLivesMatter and commit ourselves to the action those words require.

A Wider Bridge, Alan Schwartz, CEO & Board Chair

A.H. of Monroe County, Inc., Scott Pridgen, Executive Director

ACLU, James Esseks, Director,  LGBT & HIV Project

Affirmations, Dave Garcia, Executive Director

African American Office of Gay Concerns, Gary Paul Wright, Executive Director

AIDS Action Baltimore, Jeffrey Grabelle, Chief Operating Officer

AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Aisha N. Davis, Director of Policy

Ali Forney Center, Tyler Neasloney, Special Events & Communications

All Rainbow and Allied Youth Inc., Hal Trejo, Board President

American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, Micah Kubic, Executive Director

American Civil Liberties Union, Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director

American Institute of Bisexuality, Ian Lawrence-Tourinho, Executive Director

Annapolis Pride, Jeremy Browning, Founder & Chair

APLA Health, Craig E. Thompson, CEO

Arkansas Transgender Equity Collaborative, Tonya Estell, Board of Directors

Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, Carole Treston, Executive Director

AsylumConnect, Katie Sgarro, Co-Founder & Executive Director

Athlete Ally, Hudson Taylor, Executive Director

Atlanta Pride Committee, Jamie Fergerson, Executive Director

AVOL Kentucky, Jon Parker, Executive Director

Awf Magazine, Ryan Leach & Griffin Leeds, Executive Editors

BAGLY, Inc. (Boston Alliance of LGBTQ Youth), Grace Sterling Stowell, Executive Director

Basic Rights Oregon, Nancy Haque, Executive Director

Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALIF), Jeffrey Kosbie, Co-Chair

Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice, Robt Seda-Schreiber, Chief Activist

Bayard Rustin Coalition, Lawrence Shine, Co-Chair

Beloved Arise, Jun Young, Director

Beloved Arise, Stephen Cowden, Content Strategist

Beth Chayim Chadashim , Juval Porat, Cantor

Bi Women Quarterly, Robyn Ochs, Editor

Bi+ Georgia, Dan Wilson, Lead Organizer

Bi+ Pride Milwaukee, Amy Luettgen, Organizer

Big Apple Performing Arts/New York City Gay Men’s Chorus, Lisa Reilly, Executive Director

BiLaw, Nancy Marcus, Co-Founder

Billy DeFrank LGBTQ+ Community Center, Gabrielle Antolovich, Board President

BiPOL San Francisco, Lani Ka’ahumanu, Ms.

Bisexual Organizing Project – BOP, Leah Yoemans, Chair

Bisexual Resource Center, Belle Haggett Silverman , President – Board of Directors

Born Perfect, Mathew Shurka, Co-Founder

Boxcar Communications, Jim Rhyne, Owner

Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, Adrian Shanker, Executive Director

Brooklyn Community Pride Center, Floyd Rumohr, CEO

Broward House,  Inc, Stacy Hyde, CEO

Cache Pride Center, Cassandra Seikkula, Program Director

California LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network, Amanda McAllister-Wallner, Director

Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, Wendy Stark, Executive Director

CAMP Rehoboth, David Mariner, Executive Director

Campaign for Southern Equality, Adam Polaski, Communications Director

Campus Pride, Shane Windmeyer, Executive Director

Capital City Pride, Natalie Coblentz, Production Manager

Capital Pride Alliance, Ryan Bos, Executive Director

Cathedral Of Hope UCC, Rev. Dr. Neil G Thomas, Senior Pastor

Center for Black Equity, Earl Fowlkes, President/CEO

Center for Health Justice, Cajetan Luna, Executive Director

Center on Halsted, Modesto Valle, CEO

CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers, Denise Spivak, CEO

Citrus Pride, Chuck Higgins , President

City of Holyoke, Andres Villada, Mayoral Aide & President of Holyoke Pride

Cleveland Stonewall Democrats, Dara Adkison, President

Clinica Esperanza/Hope Clinic, Anne S. De Groot MD, Medical Director

Colors+, Kristen Pepera, Executive director

Come Out With Pride Orlando, Tatiana Quiroga, Board Member- Secretary

Community Education Group, A.Toni Young, Executive Director

Compass LGBTQ Community Center, Julie Seaver, Executive Director

Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, Sharon Kleinbaum, Senior Rabbi

Contigo Fund, Marco Antonio Quiroga, Director

Corktown Health Center, Teresa Roscoe, Chief Operating Officer

Curve Magazine, Merryn Johns, Editor-in-Chief

DC Black Pride, Kenya Hutton, Director

Desert AIDS Project, Carl Baker, Director of Legal & Legislative Affairs

Diocese of Southern Ohio, Rev deniray mueller, Legislative Liaison

Disciples LGBTQ+ Alliance – AllianceQ, Melissa Guthrie Loy, Rev.

Diversity Center,  Santa Cruz County, Sharon Esther Papo, Executive Director

Edutechnologic , Brad Henry, CEO

elizabeth f schwartz,  p.a., elizabeth f schwartz, attorney & activist

Equality Arizona, Michael Soto, Executive Director

Equality Business Alliance , Eddie Reynoso, Executive Director

Equality California, Rick Chavez Zbur, Executive Director

Equality Delaware, Mark Purpura, Director

Equality Federation, Rebecca Isaacs, Executive Director

Equality Florida, Nadine Smith, Executive Director

Equality Illinois, Brian Johnson, CEO

Equality Michigan, Erin Knott, Executive Director

Equality NC, Kendra R Johnson, Executive Director

Equality Nevada, Chris Davin, President

Equality New Mexico, Adrian N. Carver, Executive Director

Equality New York, Amanda Babine, Executive Director

Equality North Carolina, Ames Simmons, Policy Director

Equality Ohio, Alana Jochum, Executive Director

Equality Texas, Ricardo Martinez, CEO

Equality Virginia, Vee Lamneck, Executive Director

EqualityMaine, Matt Moonen, Executive Director

Equitas Health, Daphne Kackloudis, Chief Public Policy & Strategy Officer

Essex County, NJ LGBTQ Advisory Board, Kathy Ahearn-O’Brien, Co-Chair

Fair Wisconsin, Megin McDonell, Executive Director

Fairness Campaign, Tamara Russell, Board Member

Family Equality, Denise Brogan-Kator, Chief Policy Officer

Fenway Health, Ellen LaPointe, CEO

Fierté Fredericton Pride, Amelia Thorpe, Co-Chair

Fijate Bien/MPact Global Action, Angel C Fabian,  MD MNA, Advocacy Coordinator

Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates, Laura Hernandez, Legislative Manager

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Nik Harris, LGBTQ Consumer Advocate

Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus, Stephen Gaskill, President

Florida Trans Proud Inc, Denise Johnson, President/CEO

FORGE, Inc., Loree Cook-Daniels, Policy and Program Director

Forum for Equality, SarahJane Guidry, Executive Director

Frank Harr Foundation, Shelly O’Rourke, Executive Director

Free Mom Hugs, Katrina Kalb, Executive Director

Freedom for All Americans, Kasey Suffredini, CEO & National Campaign Director

Freedom Oklahoma, Allie Shinn, Executive Director

FreeState Justice, Mark Procopio, Executive Director

GAAMC, Gordon Sauer, President

Garden State Equality, Christian Fuscarino, Executive Director

Gay City: Seattle’s LGBTQ Center, Fred Swanson, Executive Director

Gay For Good, Anne Friedman, Executive Director

GAY MEN’S CHORUS OF WASHINGTON,  DC, JUSTIN FYALA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Gay Resources of the Ozarks,  LLC, Brian C. Vega,  LPC,  NCC, Owner

Gay USA TV, Ann Northrop and Andy Humm, Co-Hosts

Gender Identity Network Alliance (GNA), Michelle Fox-Phillips, Executive Director

Gender Rights Maryland, Sharon Brackett, Board Chair

Gender Spectrum, Joel Baum, Senior Director

Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network (GSA Network), Geoffrey Winder & Ginna Brelsford, Co-Executive Directors

Georgia Equality, Jeff Graham, Executive Director

Get The Vote Out, Brad Henry, Founder

GLAAD, Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO

GLBT Alliance of Santa Cruz, Gloria Nieto, Board member

GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), Janson Wu, Executive Director

GLIDE, Wesley Saver, Policy Manager

GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality, Hector Vargas, Executive Director

GLSEN Southern Nevada, Trevor Harder, Co- Chair

GLSEN, Eliza Byard, Executive Director

GLYS Western New York,  Inc., Robert Roush, Executive Director

GMHC, Kelsey Louie, CEO

GO Magazine, Dayna Troisi, Managing Editor

Grand Rapids Pride Center, Thomas Pierce, Executive Director

Greater Boston PFLAG, Sunnie Kaufmann-Paulman, Executive Director

GSAFE, Brian Juchens, Co-Director

Harm Reduction Coalition of San Diego County, Tara Stamos-Buesig, Founding Director

Harvey Milk Festival, Inc, Shannon Fortner, Executive Director

Harvey Milk Foundation, Julie Stern, Partnership Coordinator

Have A Gay Day, Michael Knote, Executive Director

Health Emergency Lifeline Programs, Teresa Roscoe, Chief Operating Officer

HealthHIV, Brian Hujdich, Executive Director

Heartland Equality, Dustin Havens, Director of Operations

Hearts on a Wire, adrian lowe, member

Henderson Equality Center, Chris Davin, Executive Director

Hetrick-Martin Institute, Thomas Krever, CEO

Hetrick-Martin Institute: New Jersey, Lillian Rivera, Executive Director

HIV Medicine Association , Andrea Weddle, Executive Director

Hope in a Box,  Inc, Joe English, Executive Director

House of Colors LGBTQ Youth Center, Micah Katz-Zeiger, Youth Program Coordinator

Houston GLBT Political Caucus, Mike Webb, President

Howard Brown Health, Andie Baker, VP,  Center for Education,  Research and Advocacy

Hudson Pride Center, Elizabeth Schedl, Chief Operations Officer

Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center, Jeff Rindler-Jordan, Executive Director

Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation, Sarah Rosso, Executive Director

Human Rights Alliance – Santa Fe,  NM, Kevin A. Bowen, President

Human Rights Campaign, Alphonso David, President

Human Rights Campaign – Columbus Steering Committee, Stefani Borg, National Board of Governor

Hyacinth AIDS Foundation, Kathy Ahearn-O’Brien, Executive Director

Identity,  Inc., Joey Agloinga-Keeney, Board Chair

Immigration Equality, Aaron C. Morris, Executive Director

Ingersoll Gender Center, Karter Booher, Executive Director

Inside Out Youth Services, Jessie Pocock, Executive Director

International Association of Providers of AIDS Care, Jose M Zuniga, President

InterPride, Andrew Baker & Julian Sanjivan, Co-Presidents

It Gets Better Project, Brian Wenke, Executive Director

Jackson Pride Center, Karyl L Baker, Chair

Jewish Community Services of South Florida, Inc., Cindy Brown, Lambda Living Program Manager

John Snow, Inc., Stewart Landers, Director,  U.S. Health Service,  Boston Office

Kaleidoscope Youth Center, Erin Upchurch,  MSSA,  LISW-S, Executive Director

Keshet, Idit Klein, President & CEO

Key of Q: LGBTQ & Allied Singers of the Hudson Valley, Jim Fish, Co-Founder & President

Lambda Legal, Kevin Jennings, CEO

Left of Center Productions, Linda Lewis, Entertainment Agent

Lesbians of Color Symposium Collective,  Inc., Shaunya Thomas, Co – Founder / President

Leslie Lohman Museum of Art, Laura Raicovich, Interim Director

LGBT Bar Assocation of New York, Eric Lesh, Executive Director

LGBT Caucus of the California Democratic Party, Tiffany Woods and Lester Aponte, Co-Chairs

LGBT Chamber of Commerce of Illinois, Jerome’ Holston, Director

LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland , Phyllis Seven Harris, Executive Director

LGBT Community Center of the Desert, Mike Thompson, CEO

LGBT Equality Alliance of Chester County, Don Davis, President

LGBT Life Center, Stacie Walls, CEO

LGBTQ Advocate, Charlotte Clymer, Writer

LGBTQ Center OC, Peg Corley, Executive Director

LGBTQ Center of Bay County Inc., Cindy Wilker, President

LGBTQ Community Center of Southern Nevada, John Waldron, CEO

LGBTQ Victory Fund & LGBTQ Victory Institute , Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO

LGBTQ+ Allies Lake County, Betty Jacobs, Founder/Executive Director

Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth, Robert Vitelli, Executive VP/COO

Long Island LGBT Center, Lauren Corcoran-Doolin, Vice-President,  External Affairs

Lorain County LGBTQ+ and Allies Task Force, Kei Graves, Board President

Los Angeles Bi Task Force, Mimi Hoang, Co-Founder

Los Angeles LGBT Center, Lorri L. Jean, CEO

Louisiana Trans Advocates, Peyton Rose Michelle, Director of Operations

Louisville Youth Group Inc., Jason Peno, Executive Director

Lower Columbia Q Center, Jim Summers, Vice Chair

Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, Tre’Andre Valentine, Executive Director

MassEquality, Tanya V. Neslusan, Executive Director

Math4cure, Karen Young, Executive Director

Matthew Shepard Foundation, Jason Marsden, Executive Vice President

Me Too Springfield , Jordan Harris, President of Me Too Springfield

Methodist Federation for Social Action , Bridget Cabrera, Executive Director

Miami-Dade LGBTA Democratic Caucus, Eddie De La Vega, President

Milwaukee LGBT Community Center, Amy Orta, Executive Director

Movement Advancement Project, Ineke Mushovic, Executive Director

Nashville Pride, Phil Cobucci, Community Affairs

National Black Justice Coalition, David Johns, Executive Director

National Center for Lesbian Rights, Imani Rupert-Gordon, Executive Director

National Center for Transgender Equality, Mara Keisling , Executive Director

National Coalition for LGBT Health, Brian Hujdicch, Executive Director

National Coalition of STD Directors, Taryn Couture, Associate Director,  Policy and Government Relations

National Equality Action Team (NEAT), Brian Silva, Founder & Executive Director

National LGBT Bar Association and Foundation, D’Arcy Kemnitz, Executive Director

National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), Justin G. Nelson and Sabrina G. Kent, Co-Founder & President / Senior Vice President

National LGBTQ Task Force, Rea Carey, Executive Director

National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals (NOGLSTP), Rochelle Diamond, Chair

National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) , Glenn D. Magpantay, Executive Director

National Trans Visibility March, Apyphanie Barnhill, Asst. National Strategy Director

National Voices for Equality Education and Enlightenment, Jowharah Sanders, Executive Director

National Working Positive Coalition, Mark Misrok, National Working Positive Coalition

New York City Anti-Violence Project, Beverly Tillery, Executive Director

New York City Gay Men’s Chorus, Lisa Reilly, Executive Director

New York LGBT Network, David Kilmnick, President/CEO

NGPA- The Worldwide LGBT Aviation Community, Brian Gambino, President

NMAC, Paul Kawata, ED

North Carolina AIDS Action Network, Lee Storrow, Executive Director

North Dakota Human Rights Coalition, Barry Nelson, Organizer

North Jersey Pride, C.J. Prince, Executive Director

North Shore Alliance of GLBT Youth, Stephen Harrington, Executive Director

Northwest Arkansas Equality, Inc., Joseph Porter, President,  Board of Directors

Oakland LGBTQ Community Ctr., Joe Hawkins , CEO

Oasis Legal Services, Ari Jones, Staff Attorney and Outreach Coordinator

OCTOPUS LLC (Organizing Communities Transgender Outreach Promoting United Support), Kimberly Sue Griffiths, Executive Director

One Colorado, Daniel Ramos, Executive Director

One Iowa, Courtney Reyes, Executive Director

One Orlando Alliance , Jennifer Foster, Executive Director

One-n-ten, Nate Rhoton, Executive Director

onePULSE Foundation, Barbara Poma, CEO

ORAM – Organization for Refuge,  Asylum and Migration, Steve Roth, Executive Director

Our Family Coalition, Sam Ames, Interim Executive Director

Our Fund Foundation, David Jobin, President & CEO

Out & Equal Workplace Advocates , Erin Uritus , CEO

Out Boulder County, Mardi Moore, Executive Director

Out in STEM, Cortland Russell, President & CEO

Out in the Open, HB Lozito, Executive Director

Out Leadership, Todd Sears, Founder & CEO

Out on Film LGBTQ+ Film Festival, Craig Hardesty and Jim Farmer, Board Chair and Festival Director

OutFront Kalamazoo, Amy Hunter, Executive Director

OutFront Minnesota, Monica Meyer, Executive Director

OutNebraska, Abbi Swatsworth, Executive Director

OutRight Action International, Daina Rudusa, Senior Communications Manager

Outright Vermont, Dana Kaplan, Executive Director

OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival, Victor Gimenez, Executive Director

OUTspoken Leaders, Jacob Kniep, Executive Director

Pacific Center for Human Growth, Michelle Gonzalez, Executive Director

Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, Rand Hoch, President and Founder

Partnership Project, Julia Lager-Mesulam, Director

Peer Support Space, Dani, Dandelion Hill, Director of Peer Services

Perceptions, Scott Ellis, Executive Director

PFLAG Los Angeles, Steve Krantz, Vice President

PFLAG National, Brian K. Bond, Executive Director

PFLAG Newport Beach, Jessica Herthel, Co-President

PFLAG NYC, Drew Tagliabue, Executive Director

PFLAG South Miami, Jennifer Solomon, President PFLAG South Miami Chapter

PFLAG, Catherine Trejo, Dr

Philadelphia Family Pride, Stephanie Haynes, Executive Director

Phoenix Gay Men’s Chorus , Brandon Sours , Chorus President

Phoenix Pride Foundation, Michael Fornelli, Executive Director

Plexus LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Amanda Cole , Executive Director

Point Foundation, Jorge Valencia, Executive Director & CEO

Positive Women’s Network-USA, naina khanna, executive director

PRC, Brett Andrews, CEO

Pride Action Tank, Kim L. Hunt, Executive Director

Pride at Work, Jerame Davis, Executive Director

Pride Center of the Capital Region , Martha Harvey , Executive Director

Pride Center Of Vermont, Mike Bensel , Executive Director

Pride Community Center,  Inc, Katrina, Stewart

Pride Community Services Organization, Carmen Wampler-Collins, Executive Director

Pride Fund 1, Densil R Porteous, CEO

Pridelines, Miami’s LGBTQ Community Center, Victor Diaz-Herman, Chief Executive Officer

Project No Labels, CLAIRE ELISAN, Founder / CEO

Project PRIDE Sarasota, Joshua Beadle, Co-Founder & Executive Director

PROMO, Stephen Eisele, Executive Director

Proud Haven Inc, Debbie Scotto, Co-Founder

Q Center, James K. Phelps,  ACFRE, Interim Executive Director

Q CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP, Bukola Landis-Aina, Executive Director

QLatinx, Christopher J. Cuevas, Executive Director

Queens LGBT Center (QCenter), JR Cehonski, Director of Programs

Radiant Health Centers, Philip Yaeger, CEO

Rainbow Community Center of Contra Costa County, Kiku Johnson, Executive Director

Rainbow Elder Care of Greater Dayton, Jerry Mallicoat, Board Chair

Rainbow Mobile, Bryan Fuenmayor, Executive Director

Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance, Benita Annette Ramsey, Executive Director

Rainbow Resource Centre, Noreen Mian, Executive Director

Reformed Catholic Church, Chris Carpenter, Presiding Bishop

Resource Center, Cece Cox, CEO

Rockland County Pride Center, Brooke Malloy, Executive Director

Rose Dynasty Foundation,  Inc., Jason DeShazo, President

Rural Women’s Health Project, Robin, Lewy

RUSA LGBT, Yelena Goltsman, Founder and Co-President

Ruth Ellis Center, Inc., Jerry Peterson, Executive Director

Sacramento LGBT Community Center, David Heitstuman, CEO

Safe Schools Action Network , Shannon Cuttle , Director

Safe Schools South Florida, Scott Galvin, Executive Director

SAGE Hudson Valley, Amanda Norton, Director,  Programs and Services

SAGE Jersey City, Gordon Sauer, Affiliate Leader

SAGE Metro Detroit, Angie Perone, Executive Director

SAGE New Orleans – NOAGE, Jim Meadows, Executive Director

SAGE of the Bluegrass, Maggie Carnes, Organizer

SAGE Upstate, Kim Dill, Executive Director

SAGE, Michael Adams, CEO

SAGE: Advocacy and Services for GLBT Elders, Michael Adams, CEO

San Diego Pride, fernando@sdpride.org, Executive Director

San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Joe Hollendoner, CEO

San Francisco Community Health Center, Lance Toma, Chief Executive Officer

San Francisco Hepatitis C Task Force, Robin Roth, Co-chair

SAVE – Safeguarding American Values for Everyone, Orlando Gonzales, Executive Director

Sero Project, Sean Strub, Executive Director

SF LGBT Center, Rebecca Rolfe, Executive Director

Shenandoah LGBTQ Center, Emily Sproul, Executive director

Side by Side VA, Inc., Ted Lewis, Executive Director

Silver State Equality-Nevada, Valerie Ploumpis, National Policy Director

Silver State Equality, André C. Wade, State Director

SOJOURN, Rebecca Stapel-Wax, Executive Director

Solano Pride Center, Jonathan Cook, Executive Director

South Orange Middle School, Johanna Barnhart, Dr.

Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF), Patti Caldwell, Interim Executive Director

Southern Poverty Law Center, Margaret Huang, President & CEO

Still Bisexual, Nicole Kristal, President

Stonewall Citizens’ Patrol, Sean Redmond, Executive Director

Stonewall Columbus, Gerry Rodriguez, President of the Board of Trustees

Stonewall Democratic Club, Drexel Heard II, Community Vice-President

Stonewall Democrats of Central Ohio, Stella Shaw, President

Stonewall Sports – Columbus, Robert Leis, President

Stonewall Sports Cleveland, Patty Hace, Board Chair

Stonewall Sports Philadelphia, Matt Forrest, Commissioner

Stonewall Sports, Inc, Andy Palermo, President

SunServe, Shelley Goren, Interim Executive Director

Tallahassee Gay Athletic Associate , Mark Barr, Executive Director

Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber, Justice Gennari, President & CEO

TargetCue, Cathy Renna, Principal

TBuddy, Dani Farrell, Founder & CEO

Tennessee Equality Project, Chris Sanders, executive director

The Alliance for GLBTQ Youth, Pauline Green, Executive Director

The AMAAD Institute (Arming Minorities Against Addiction & Disease), Carl Highshaw, Executive Director

The Bros in Convo Initiative, Daniel J. Downer, Executive Director

The DC Center for the LGBT Community, Rehana Mohammed, Board Chair

The Diversity Center, Sharon E Papo, Executive Director

The Dolphin Democrats – Broward County , Alfredo Olvera, President

The Gala Pride and Diversity Center, Michelle Call, Executive Director

The Gender & Family Project of the Ackerman Institute, Jean Malpas, Executive Director

The GenderCool Project, Jen Grosshandler , Co-Founder

The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston, Joan Ilacqua, Executive Director

The Karpel Group, Craig Karpel, President

The Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender Community Center (NY), Glennda Testone, Executive Director

The LGBT Bar Association of New York, Eric Leah, Executive Director

The LGBT Center of Greater Reading, Michelle Dech, Executive Director

The LGBT Center, NYC, Reg Calcagno, Senior Director of Government Affairs

The LGBT Pink Panthers Movement, Faith Alastair, President

The LGBTQ Center in South Bend,  IN, H.R. Jung, Executive Director

The LGBTQ Center Long Beach, Porter Gilberg, Executive Director

The LOFT LGBT Community Services Center, Judy Troilo, Executive Director

the Montrose Center, Ann J. Robison,  PhD, Executive Director

The OUT Foundation, John Valdez, Executive Director

The Pride Center at Equality Park, Robert Boo, CEO

The Pride Center of Maryland, Mimi Demissew, Executive Director

The Pride Network, Jacob Rudolph, Executive Director

The San Diego LGBT Community Center, Cara Dessert, CEO

The Source LGBT+ Center, Brian Poth, Executive Director

The Spahr Center, Dana Van Gorder, Executive Director

The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative, Stacy Lentz , CEO

The TransLatin@ Coalition, Bamby Salcedo, President/CEO

The Trevor Project, Amit Paley, CEO

Thrive LGBTQ+, Randy Thomas, Executive Director

Thrive Youth Center, Greg Casillas, Assistant Director & Life Skills Program Manager

Trans In Color, Dani Farrell, Founder & CEO

Trans Research Lab–University of Wisconsin-Madison, Stephanie Budge, Associate Professor

Transgender Children’s Legal Defense Fund, Benjamin Cooper, President of the Board

Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT), Emmett Schelling, Executive Director

Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF), Andy Marra, Executive Director

Transgender Michigan, Susan Crocker, Operations Director

TransInclusive Group,  Inc, Tatiana Williams, Executive Director

TransNewYork, Gennifer herley, Executive Director

TransOhio, James Knapp, Chair & Executive Director

TriVersity Center for Gender and Sexual Diversity, Steven Teague, Executive Director

True Colors United, Gregory Lewis, Executive Director & CEO

True Colors,  Inc., Robin McHaelen, Executive Director

Truth Wins Out, Wayne Besen, Executive Director

Unity Coalition|Coalicion unida, Herb Sosa, director & CEO

Unity Fellowship Social Justice Center, Rev Benita Ramsey, Senior Pastor

Uptown Gay & Lesbian Alliance (UGLA), Carl Matthes, President

Utah Pride Center, Robert Moolman, Executive Director

Visuality, Inc., Arlene Goldberg, Vice President,  Board of DIrectors

Voices4, Oliver Fuhrmann, Lead Organizer

Watermark Publishing Group, Rick Claggett, Owner/Publisher

Waves Ahead & SAGE PR, Wilfred Labiosa, Executive Director

We Matter Winchester, William Wright, Administrator

Wild Geese Foundation, Susan Hyde, Executive Director

William Way LGBT Community Center,  Philadelphia, Chris Bartlett, Executive Director

Wisconsin Trans Health Coalition, Ben Andert, Core Team member

Woodhull Freedom Foundation, Ricci Levy, President & CEO

Wynwood Pride, Anna Margarita Albelo, Executive Director

Wyoming Equality, Sara Burlingame, Executive Director

Yakima Pride, Joshua Hastings, Vice President

Young Democrats of Georgia LGBTQ+ Caucus, Matt Southwell, Secretary

Youth Seen, tara jae, Executive Director

Zebra Coalition, Heather Wilkie, Executive Director

Born Perfect is the leading campaign to end conversion therapy. We are survivors, lawyers, and policy experts working together to protect LGBTQ+ people nationally and around the globe. Born Perfect is a program of National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR).

Born Perfect Congratulates German Parliament for Passing Law to End Conversion Therapy

by Born Perfect Staff

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2020

Contact: Christopher Vasquez, NCLR Communications Director
cvasquez@nclrights.org / (415) 365-1337

Born Perfect Congratulates German Parliament for Passing Law to End Harmful Practice of Conversion Therapy

New legislation is just second of its kind in the European Union and makes Germany the most prominent nation in the world to address this issue

BERLIN, GERMANY — Today, the German Bundestag passed legislation that would ban conversion therapy nationwide in the European nation. The new law bans the harmful practice – which aims to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of LGBTQ youth – for minors and creates significant new protections for adults. The legislation makes Germany, which is the world’s fourth-largest economy, the most prominent nation to end the dangerous practice that has shown to be directly correlated to higher rates of LGBTQ youth depression and suicide.

“Germany is the first major European country to protect LGBTQ people from this insidious practice, which is one of the primary drivers of suicide and depression among LGBTQ youth,” said Mathew Shurka, a conversion therapy survivor and Co-Founder of Born Perfect. “Especially during this time, when many LGBTQ people are feeling more isolated and alone than ever, Germany’s leadership is a powerful example of how governments can stand up for LGBTQ youth.”

Globally, three countries – Brazil, Ecuador, and Malta – have already enacted nationwide bans. In March, Canada introduced legislation that would also soon end conversion therapy nationwide in the North American country. In the United States, twenty states and more than 70 localities have passed laws protecting minors from conversion therapy, including most recently in the states of Utah, Virginia, and the Florida Capitol city of Tallahassee. In addition, survivors of conversion therapy have successfully sued their former therapists under state laws that prohibit consumer fraud.

“Germany is setting a new international standard for protecting LGBTQ youth and for recognizing conversion therapy for what it is—a public health crisis that is devastating the lives of LGBTQ young people,” said Shannon Minter, Legal Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights. “Germany’s leadership on this issue is groundbreaking and will set an example for other countries to follow.”

Last year, Outright International released a groundbreaking report showing that conversion therapy occurs across the world and documenting the severe trauma that it causes.

Born Perfect is a survivor-led campaign to end conversion therapy created by The National Center for Lesbian Rights, a national legal organization committed to advancing the human and civil rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education.

Born Perfect Praises City of Tallahassee for Passing Ordinance to End Conversion Therapy

by Born Perfect Staff

Unanimous vote by Tallahassee City Council ensures that LGBTQ youth and vulnerable adults in Florida capital will be protected from this harmful practice

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (April 10, 2020) — On Thursday, the Tallahassee City Council unanimously passed the state’s most inclusive ordinance to protect minors and vulnerable adults from conversion therapy – the harmful practice that seeks to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

In addition to providing that licensed mental health professionals may not perform conversion therapy on minors or vulnerable adults, the ordinance prohibits the use of city funds to pay for  the practice that has been widely condemned by every leading medical and mental health organization in this country. The Tallahassee ordinance is now the most robust restriction against the practice in the state of Florida.

The City of Tallahassee joins more than 70 municipalities, 20 states, and the District of Columbia that have adopted similar protections.  

With the passage of the Tallahassee ordinance, Florida now has more than 20 local laws protecting minors from conversion therapy—more than any other state in the country.

Survivor’s perspective

“The continued efforts by legislators across the state to protect LGBTQ youth are lifesaving,” said Mathew Shurka, Co-Founder and Chief Strategist of Born Perfect. “Conversion therapy destroys families and causes serious harm to minors, sometimes leading to suicide. We are grateful to the Tallahassee City Councilors who passed this ordinance unanimously. Their vote sends a powerful message to every child that they are born perfect.”

Last year, conversion therapists represented by Liberty Counsel, an Orlando-based organization designated as an anti-LGBT hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, challenged three of Florida’s local protections in two separate federal lawsuits.

Defending other Florida bans

In February 2019, US District Judge Robin Rosenberg upheld the local laws passed in Palm Beach County and Boca Raton. Judge Rosenberg rejected Liberty Counsel’s argument that the laws violated the right to free speech and freedom of religion, citing “extensive credible evidence of the damage that conversion therapy inflicts.”  The case is Otto v. City of Boca Raton.

In October 2019, in one of his first major rulings since being appointed to the bench by President Trump, US District Judge William Fung struck down Tampa’s local law. Judge Fung held that Florida cities do not have the power to regulate mental health providers, which he said belongs exclusively to the state. The case is Vazzo v. City of Tampa.

Both of these lower court rulings are on appeal to the Eleventh Circuit court of appeals. The Eleventh Circuit heard oral arguments in Otto on February 11, 2020.  A ruling is expected any time.  Oral arguments in Vazzo have not yet been scheduled.    

Legal outlook

“The Tallahassee City Council has shown much-needed courage and leadership in standing up for LGBTQ youth in the face of vicious attacks by Liberty Counsel and other hate-based groups that promote dangerous lies and misinformation about LGBTQ people,” said Shannon Minter, the legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, which provided legal support to the Florida cities defending their bans. “Contrary to the false messages of these groups, being LGBTQ is a natural part of the spectrum of human identity. All children deserve love and support, and the City of Tallahassee did the right thing in protecting minors in Tallahassee from this devastating practice.”  

For more than 25 years, NCLR has been leading the fight against conversion therapy. Since 2014, NCLR’s Born Perfect Campaign has brought survivors and legal experts together to pass  legislation protecting LGBTQ youth from conversion therapy, to assist states and local governments in defending these bans when they are challenged by anti-LGBT hate groups, and to bring lawsuits holding conversion therapists accountable for defrauding and harming patients.

Momentum on this work continues to build, with a record-breaking number of states and localities taking action to protect youth in the past 12 months, including Utah, North Carolina, Kansas City, Missouri, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Most recently, legislation was passed in Virginia – the first Southern state to protect LGBTQ youth from the harmful practice.

According to the Williams Institute from UCLA Law, more than 350,000 LGBTQ minors have been subjected to the dangerous practice of “Conversion Therapy,” which studies have linked to these youth being more than twice as likely to experience depression, and nearly three times more likely to attempt suicide.

Born Perfect is a survivor-led campaign to end conversion therapy created by The National Center for Lesbian Rights, a national legal organization committed to advancing the human and civil rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education.