We need your help and there’s no time to waste.
Committees in the Virginia House and Senate are voting TODAY on legislation that prohibits therapists from trying to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Anti-LGBT groups are turning out in full force to oppose this life-saving bill—please don’t let them succeed!
Committee members urgently need to hear that you want them to protect LGBT children from these dangerous and discredited practices that are known to lead to depression, social withdrawal, substance abuse, and suicide.
We only have an hour or so before committee members vote and we must ensure they pass this bill, sending it to the full floor for a vote.
Here’s how you can help:
- Email House and Senate committee members using the draft language below.
- Call House and Senate committee members and ask them to support the bill.
- Send your legislators a direct tweet asking them to protect children from conversion therapy using the #HB1385, #SB988 and #BornPerfect hashtags.
- Use the #BornPerfect image to spread the word through your social networks about the importance of this bill and ask your friends to do the same.
It’s outrageous that conversion therapy practices continue despite the serious, long-lasting harms they cause to vulnerable children and families.
LGBT young people need your help. Will you take a moment to make a difference in their lives?
In solidarity,
Kate Kendell, Esq.
NCLR Executive Director
DRAFT EMAIL CONTENT TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS
I am writing to you today to ask that you support the bill protecting children from mental health professionals who use dangerous practices to try to change their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Conversion therapy practices—which have been discredited by every major medical and mental health organization—lead to serious harm, including depression, shame, social withdrawal, substance abuse, and suicide.
Every leading medical and mental health organization across the country has condemned the practice and issued warnings that there is no credible evidence that any type of psychotherapy can change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Yet, every day, mental health professional in our state continue to mislead parents and to subject children to these dangerous practices.
Too many young people have taken their own lives or suffered lifelong harm after being told, falsely, by a therapist or counselor that who they are is wrong, sick or the result of personal or moral failure.
We must ensure that no child is subjected to this damaging and discredited practice. Please support this crucial bill.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
DRAFT FACEBOOK POST
We need your help and there’s no time to waste. Committees in the Virginia House and Senate are voting TODAY on legislation that prohibits therapists from trying to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Email or call ASAP to ask them to support the bill.
Please share!
DRAFT TWEETS
URGENT Tell #VA legislators to support bill protecting #LGBT children from #ConversionTherapy #BornPerfect