Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Sims introduces legislation to ban harmful "gay conversion therapy" for minors

Hot on the heels of California and New Jersey, Pennsylvania may find itself the next state to outlaw so-called "gay conversion therapy."

Reps. Brian Sims and Gerald Mullery announced today that they plan a bipartisan bill in the House and Senator Anthony Williams has introduced a similar bill in the Senate, the AP reports.

Said Sims at a press conference today:

“Just last month, New Jersey’s Republican governor and Democratic legislature worked together to ban this practice. The governor there cited ‘a litany of potential ill effects of trying to change sexual orientation, including depression and suicide.’ California has also passed a similar law. Pennsylvania children deserve the same protection.

It’s been 40 years since the American Psychological Association excluded homosexuality from being classified as a mental disorder, and the APA has published studies showing that patients younger than 18 suffer from a multitude of harmful effects associated with this so-called therapy, including withdrawal and suicidal thoughts. It’s time to protect Pennsylvania children from this quackery that can inflict years of harm for those who manage to survive it.”