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The state of Virginia just made history as the first Southern state to pass a ban on anti-gay conversion therapy.

The heartening development to outlaw the discredited practice, in which pseudoscience is employed to try to change peoples sexual orientation, came largely at the behest of Virginia Democrats and was signed into law by Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam on Monday. While the Democrats do deserve credit on this one, its also important to recognize the dozen Virginia Republican state legislators who bucked the rest of their party to come down on the right side of this vote.

The bill, HB 386, outlaws licensed counselors and medical professionals from offering minors any practice or treatment that seeks to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender. Importantly, it only applies to those under age 18.

Bans on this kind of anti-gay conversion therapy are something everyone should support, regardless of political persuasion or even personal religious views on homosexuality. Why? Because conversion therapy doesnt work. Its a debunked form of medical malpractice and fraud, something even die-hard libertarians think should be illegal.

Theres really no disputing this point. Almost all of the major medical organizations condemn conversion therapy, and theres essentially zero evidence of it ever working. As I previously wrote:

Of course, its not just that conversion therapy doesnt work. Neither does tarot-card reading or fortune-telling, but those arent illegal. The reason Virginia lawmakers are right that anti-gay conversion therapy must be outlawed is because its not just ineffective, but demonstrably harmful, so much so that it puts young peoples lives at risk.

One study showed that youth who faced familial pressure to change their sexual orientation were more than twice as likely to attempt suicide. Those who faced formal conversion efforts from religious clergy were three times as likely to attempt to kill themselves.

Increasingly, this is becoming a point of bipartisan consensus. Republicans governors such as Larry Hogan and Charlie Baker have signed bans on conversion therapy into law, and even Utahs Republican-controlled state legislature just outlawed the fraudulent practice. Now, in Virginia, its heartening to see a dozen Republicans backing the ban as well, even if many still opposed it.

State Sen. Jill Vogel broke with all the other Republicans in the Virginia Senate to vote for the bill. Meanwhile, in the House, 11 brave Republicans crossed the aisle to vote to ban the practice. This is an encouraging sign of progress. Lets hope even more Virginia Republicans come around on this issue soon.

Original post:
Cheers to the 12 Virginia Republicans who backed gay conversion therapy ban - Washington Examiner