Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed two bills banning so-called conversion therapy, a scientifically discredited practice intended to change a person’s sexual orientation, for minors in the state, the governor’s office announced Wednesday.
“As a mom of a member of the community and a proud, lifelong ally, I’m grateful that today we’re banning the horrific practice of conversion therapy in Michigan,” Whitmer wrote on Twitter, which has been rebranded “X.” “In doing so, we are taking action to make Michigan a more welcoming, inclusive place.”
The governor’s approval of the measures makes Michigan the 22nd state to ban “conversion therapy”, according to the Trevor Project, a non-profit organization focused on suicide prevention efforts among LGBTQ youth.
Last month, the state legislature voted largely along party lines to advance the ban. A block on the use of federal and state funds for conversion therapy on minors was already in place in the state after Whitmer signed an executive directive in 2021.
One of the bills Whitmer signed into law Wednesday, House Bill 4616, prohibits mental health professionals from engaging in conversion therapy with minors. Under the bill, any violation will result in the mental health professional facing disciplinary action, which could include a suspended or revoked license.
House Bill 4617, meanwhile, adds the definition of conversion therapy to the state’s mental health code. It defines the term as “any practice or treatment by a mental health professional that seeks to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including, but not limited to, efforts to change behavior or gender expression or to reduce or eliminate sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward an individual of the same gender.”
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Article URL : https://apnews.com/article/conversion-therapy-minors-michigan-ban-lgbtq-c23c37be4037c9fbb192fb5a9056846e