Why do states and municipalities enact conversion therapy bans?

The answer is simple. Conversion therapy professes to help lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people to change or overcome their sexual orientation or gender identity. But this family of therapies has the opposite effect: reinforcing depression, low self-esteem, shame, addictive and compulsive behavior, loss of religious faith, self-harm, and suicidal tendencies. Conversion therapy also tears families apart, as it demands that youths erroneously blame their parents for their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Conversion therapy is inherently harmful, unprofessional, unscientific, and fraudulent.

Consequently, regional efforts to ban conversion therapy focus upon professional mental-health providers and their license to provide constructive, responsible, and professional care that is accepted and regulated by the mental-health science community.

As of now, conversion therapy has been banned in 22 states, the District of Columbia, and more than 115 municipalities within the United States.

1. California
2. Colorado
3. Connecticut
4. Delaware
5. District of Columbia
6. Hawaii
7. Illinois
8. Maine
9. Maryland
10. Massachusetts
11. Michigan
12. Minnesota
13. Nevada
14. New Hampshire
15. New Jersey
16. New Mexico
17. New York
18. Oregon
19. Rhode Island
20. Vermont
21. Washington
22. Utah
23. Virginia