Being gay, lesbian, trans, or any other thing non-cis straight is not a sickness that needs to be cured. There is so much evidence, medical science, peer reviewed studies that show that being LGBTQ+ is normal and that conversion therapy is extremely harmful. Dismissing all that evidence and data simply based on a belief in a book written over a century 2,500 years ago by people who did not even know about germ therapy and whose prophet preached it was not needed to wash your hands doesn’t make any sense. How does that make any rational sense to ignore all the medical / scientific advancements over this time span. These people that wrote those scriptures only knew what was understood at the time. Hell they thought the color of reeds seen by breeding livestock would determine the color of the offspring . There is no way in the modern age we should allow those ideas to harm the children of today, or use those writings to harm whole segments of society. This is 2023 and we know how damaging it is to try to convert a person’s inborn attributes. If you are straight, imagine going through a program to make you attracted to the same sex. What would it take for you to accept you were wrong and you now love the body parts that are the same as yours? I wish all states took this approach and actually cared about the kids instead of the hate rage. Hugs
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation Wednesday that prohibits mental health professionals from using so-called conversion therapy on LGBTQ minors
ByJOEY CAPPELLETTI Associated Press
July 26, 2023, 3:45 PM
FILE – Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at the SelectUSA Investment Summit, May 4, 2023, in Oxon Hill, Md. The scientifically discredited practice of so-called conversion therapy, which aims to “convert” LGBTQ+ people to h…Show more
The Associated Press
LANSING, Mich. — The scientifically discredited practice of so-called conversion therapy, which aims to “convert” LGBTQ+ people to heterosexuality or traditional gender expectations, is now banned for minors in Michigan under legislation signed Wednesday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Michigan becomes the 22nd state to outlaw conversion therapy, which state lawmakers defined as any practice or treatment by a mental health professional that seeks to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity. That does not include counseling that provides assistance to people undergoing a gender transition.
Whitmer, who is the mother of a member of the LGBTQ community, said in a statement that banning the “horrific practice,” of conversion therapy was necessary to making Michigan a place “where you can be who you are.” She signed an executive directive in 2021 prohibiting the use of state and federal funds for conversion therapy on minors.
An estimated 15% of LGBTQ minors in Michigan have reported that they have been threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy as of 2022, according to the advocacy group The Trevor Project.
LGBTQ rights advocates have decried the practice for years, citing research suggesting the practice can increase the risk of suicide and depression.
The ban was approved by the Michigan Senate last month in a 21-15 vote — with one Republican siding with Democrats — after previously being passed by the state House. Republicans in opposition said the legislation could interfere with the work of mental health professionals.
Protecting the rights of Michigan’s LGBTQ community has been a priority for Democrats since they took control of the state government earlier this year. In March, lawmakers amended the state’s civil rights act to codify LGBTQ+ protections and permanently outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in the state.
Lawmakers in Minnesota, where Democrats also seized control earlier this year, passed a similar ban on conversion therapy in April. In Arizona, Gov. Katie Hobbs issued an executive order last month that prohibits state agencies from using funds to promote or facilitate conversion therapy.
The Human Rights Campaign declared a state of emergency for the LGBTQ+ community in May in response to what it called an “unprecedented and dangerous” spike in discriminatory legislation sweeping statehouses this year. The emergency declaration is the first in the 43-year history of the HRC.
I am an older gay guy in a long-term wonderful relationship. My spouse and I are in our 36th year together. I love politics and news. I enjoy civil discussions and have no taboo subjects. My pronouns are he / him / his and my email is Scottiestoybox@gmail.com
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8 thoughts on “Michigan bans use of conversion therapy on LGBTQ youth under measure signed by governor”
I applaud the fact “conversion therapy” for for rainbow kids has been banned, but I need to ask if the ban also applies to conversion therapy of neurodivergent kids as well. When a similar ban was introduced in Aotearoa, neurodivergent children were not protected, and as of today, they still aren’t. When you consider that autistic children can be subjected to up to 40 hours per week of conversion therapy and in the USA it’s still legal to subject autistic children and adults to electric shock “treatment” in order to force them to act in non-autistic ways, it’s clear that it’s not only LGBTQAI+ children that need protection from conversion therapy.
The World Health Organisation does not consider neurodivergence such as autism and ADHD to be a mental disorder. Most autistic folk consider their autism to be an important of their identity in the same way as LGBTQAI+ folk consider their gender and/or sexual expression an important part of their identity. I look forward to the day when all forms of conversion therapy are banned
Hello Barry. Thank you for the information about this. I was unaware that there was a program for conversion therapy of neurodivergent kids. I had heard there were some instances where hurting kids with autism or who are neurodivergent with abuse to control or punish them. In the cases I had read, all the examples were labeled child abuse and the employee dismissed and maybe charged with a crime. They should be charged with a crime, they were hurting children. I will keep my eyes out for such programs and if I find them I will post about them. You are 100 percent correct this is wrong, it is abuse, and like other conversion therapies it can not work. Even if you could scare a child into acting a certain way, to pretend if possible to be what the person harming them wanted, it wouldn’t change how the child was born. I agree with you, I look forward to the same day. Best wishes.
Hi Scottie. Whereas we would have some disagreement over interpretations of the Bible, I blame those fundamentalists who take the English translations of Latin translations of Greek translations of possibly Aramaic (I lose track at that point) reports of mainly vocal statements, and then take the final English version out of complete context thus sullying the rest of us.*
Anyyyyyway….
It’s good to see that there are ‘regions’ ‘areas’ call it what you will are fighting back against these corrosive waves of intolerance and ignorance which are sweeping the USA like drains overflowing.
Take care now,
Roger
*Some of the theological / historical / social educated explanations attacking the fundamentalist views are intensely complex. These go into the language of the words used at the time, the context of the use and even the social norms concerning prohibitions placed in attempts to stop feuds between families, clans etc. It’ll make the head spin, but the message is quite clear ‘That’s not what was meant fundamentalists!!’
I do dislike these guys with their Bibles with sentences highlighted or bits of pages bookmarked….
I’ll stop ranting now, it’s Sunday I’m supposed to be in a state of peace of mind and clear of angry thoughts…Oh well yet another day where I pray for forgiveness for being angry and judgemental.
You take care guys. And keep up your good work my friend.
Scottie's Playtime 
I applaud the fact “conversion therapy” for for rainbow kids has been banned, but I need to ask if the ban also applies to conversion therapy of neurodivergent kids as well. When a similar ban was introduced in Aotearoa, neurodivergent children were not protected, and as of today, they still aren’t. When you consider that autistic children can be subjected to up to 40 hours per week of conversion therapy and in the USA it’s still legal to subject autistic children and adults to electric shock “treatment” in order to force them to act in non-autistic ways, it’s clear that it’s not only LGBTQAI+ children that need protection from conversion therapy.
The World Health Organisation does not consider neurodivergence such as autism and ADHD to be a mental disorder. Most autistic folk consider their autism to be an important of their identity in the same way as LGBTQAI+ folk consider their gender and/or sexual expression an important part of their identity. I look forward to the day when all forms of conversion therapy are banned
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I have two grandsons who come within this broad spectrum. These ‘conversion’ proponents are a threat to society in themselves.
Roger
UK
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Hello Barry. Thank you for the information about this. I was unaware that there was a program for conversion therapy of neurodivergent kids. I had heard there were some instances where hurting kids with autism or who are neurodivergent with abuse to control or punish them. In the cases I had read, all the examples were labeled child abuse and the employee dismissed and maybe charged with a crime. They should be charged with a crime, they were hurting children. I will keep my eyes out for such programs and if I find them I will post about them. You are 100 percent correct this is wrong, it is abuse, and like other conversion therapies it can not work. Even if you could scare a child into acting a certain way, to pretend if possible to be what the person harming them wanted, it wouldn’t change how the child was born. I agree with you, I look forward to the same day. Best wishes.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Hi Scottie. Whereas we would have some disagreement over interpretations of the Bible, I blame those fundamentalists who take the English translations of Latin translations of Greek translations of possibly Aramaic (I lose track at that point) reports of mainly vocal statements, and then take the final English version out of complete context thus sullying the rest of us.*
Anyyyyyway….
It’s good to see that there are ‘regions’ ‘areas’ call it what you will are fighting back against these corrosive waves of intolerance and ignorance which are sweeping the USA like drains overflowing.
Take care now,
Roger
*Some of the theological / historical / social educated explanations attacking the fundamentalist views are intensely complex. These go into the language of the words used at the time, the context of the use and even the social norms concerning prohibitions placed in attempts to stop feuds between families, clans etc. It’ll make the head spin, but the message is quite clear ‘That’s not what was meant fundamentalists!!’
I do dislike these guys with their Bibles with sentences highlighted or bits of pages bookmarked….
I’ll stop ranting now, it’s Sunday I’m supposed to be in a state of peace of mind and clear of angry thoughts…Oh well yet another day where I pray for forgiveness for being angry and judgemental.
You take care guys. And keep up your good work my friend.
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Best wishes Roger. Have a great and peaceful Sunday. Hugs
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You too Scottie.
All the very best.
Roger & Sheila
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Yaaaay! Love Gretchen. This is great news.
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Hello Eurobrat. Yes I agree, we need more governors like her and more states willing to fight for equality for all. Hugs
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