North Carolina Gov. Signs Executive Order Prohibiting Use Of State Funds For 'Ex-Gay' Therapy

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (image via Instagram/NC_Governor)

It may not be a full ban on so-called 'conversion therapy,' but North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has signed an executive order that prohibits state tax funds from being used for the harmful practice on LGBTQ children in his state.

Conversion therapy, also called ‘ex-gay therapy’ by some, is the dangerous practice of attempting to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Conversion therapy has been widely denounced as discredited pseudoscience by leading professional medical associations including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychological Association.
Executive Order No. 97 blocks medical/mental health providers who receive state or federal funds allocated to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services from using those funds for 'ex-gay' therapy on minors.

The EO made note of statistics from The Trevor Project indicating 42% of gay, lesbian and bisexual teens who undergo the discredited practice attempt suicide. And 57% of transgender minors who are subjected to conversion therapy have made suicide attempts.

In a statement on the executive order, Gov. Cooper said, “State taxpayer money shouldn’t be used for a practice on children that major medical associations agree is harmful and ineffective. Conversion therapy has been shown to pose serious health risks, and we should be protecting all of our children, including those who identify as LGBTQ, instead of subjecting them to a dangerous practice.”

Today, Gov. Cooper signed Executive Order No. 97 to help protect LGBTQ children in North Carolina from the harmful practice of conversion therapy. https://t.co/jsf5bvEEau pic.twitter.com/f7gH5CX9Ty

— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) August 2, 2019

Conversion therapy has been shown to pose serious health risks, and we should be protecting all of our children, including those who identify as LGBTQ, instead of subjecting them to a dangerous practice.

— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) August 2, 2019

According to the Human Rights Campaign, 18 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico ban conversion therapy for minors.

The Trevor Project issued a statement commending Cooper "for taking decisive action to highlight the dangers of conversion therapy."

"While his executive order is a great first step in protecting North Carolinian youth, we must continue to push for comprehensive protections,” said Sam Brinton, Head of Advocacy and Government Affairs for The Trevor Project.

Brinton included a call to action asking the North Carolina state legislature "to take up legislation to stop licensed practitioners from violating the ethical guidelines of their profession, and harming the most vulnerable youth in the Tar Heel State.”

Leaked Memo Urges GOP House Members To Pressure Amazon Regarding Conversion Therapy Books

(stock photo of depressed teen via Depositphotos)

A memo currently being circulated among Republican members of Congress asks the lawmakers to “contact Amazon with concerns” regarding “censorship” after the online retail giant announced it had removed books on the subject of so-called ‘conversion therapy.’

Earlier this month, Amazon announced it had removed all books by Dr. Joseph Nicolosi, widely credited as the ‘father of conversion therapy.’

The action by Amazon was the result of months of complaints and an online petition that garnered over 82,000 signatures demanding the removal of the titles which included A Parent’s Guide to Preventing Homosexuality, Healing Homosexualityand How a Gay Boy Became a Straight Man.

Conversion therapy, sometimes known as reparative therapy, has been shown to lead to depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness and suicide.

The discredited practice of attempting to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity has been widely denounced by major medical organizations like the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association as phony 'pseudo-science.'

Currently, 18 states plus dozens of local municipalities have banned the harmful practice for minors.

But Vice News obtained a copy of the memo, given to members of the Republican Study Committee, which includes more than 70% of all GOP members of the House. The document was handed out during a private meeting of the members on Wednesday.

It would appear that Republicans want to see Nicolosi’s books back in circulation on Amazon.

“These books were available on Amazon until an LGBT activist repeatedly petitioned Amazon to remove the ‘homophobic books’ from the company’s website,” reads the memo per Vice News. “Amazon removed Dr. Nicolosi’s books and those of several other authors on similar topics.”

“It is not clear that any of the banned books have violated an Amazon policy,” continues the document. “But rather that the company is choosing to censor speech.”

The memo urges the GOP lawmakers to read an article from the Federalist which tries to assert hypocrisy for banning books on conversion therapy when Amazon still sells history book about Hitler, Mussolini, KKK leader David Duke and U.S. terrorist Timothy McVeigh.

So that I have this right:
1) If you bake cakes, you should have the right to not serve gay people, but
2) If you sell books, you should be told you have to sell books filled with verifiable lies that attack, demean and harm gay people?https://t.co/hgwu3I3Rkq

— Todd Schulte (@TheToddSchulte) July 19, 2019

As a person who happens to be gay: this is shameful, dangerous, and deeply offensive.

As a free speech lawyer: Amazon's business decision not to sell curing homosexuality books has literally nothing to do with liberty or the First Amendmenthttps://t.co/K6s9gerp2e

— Matthew Schafer (@MatthewSchafer) July 19, 2019

Dear @HouseGOP You people want private businesses to be able to refuse service to gay customers but you also want to force private businesses to sell anti-gay literature. HYPOCRITES.

House GOP Pressuring Amazon to Sell Books on Gay Conversion Therapy https://t.co/aZmFT9M72A?

— Kim Wexler's Ponytail (@MadisonKittay) July 19, 2019

Calling the LGBTQ community “a supposedly oppressed and marginalized group,” the Federalistarticle states the community “wields an extravagant amount of power” aimed at “anyone who chooses not to support” LGBTQ rights.

Vice News contacted Rep. Mark Walker (R-NC) who has previously chaired the Republican Study Committee. Walker shared he didn’t know about the move to pressure Amazon but admitted he thinks Amazon shouldn’t be in the business of ‘banning speech.’

The author of the online petition, Sky Gray, told Vice News via email that the goal of banning conversion therapy books could be hampered with members of Congress getting involved.

”It shouldn't be surprising that the conservatives are in support of conversion therapy; they've made it clear they are in the past,” said Gray. “It looks like this is going to be a bigger fight than previously anticipated, though I knew it would be an uphill battle.”

“Looks like the hill just got a lot steeper, with this knowledge in mind,” he added.

A poll conducted by Public Policy Polling released in April this year showed 80% of respondents believe performing conversion therapy on minors should be illegal.

More Than One Third Of LGBTQ Youth Have Seriously Considered Suicide

The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ youth, has released the results of its first-ever National LGBTQ Youth Mental Health Survey, and the results are deeply concerning.

Conducted between February 2018 through September 2018, the massive survey includes responses from 34,808 LGBTQ young people.

The results show a staggering 39 percent of respondents had seriously considered attempting suicide in the previous 12 months.

When looking at just transgender/non-binary respondents, 54 percent said they’d seriously considered suicide.

Eighteen percent of the respondents admitted to attempting suicide in the past 12 months; 29 percent of trans/non-binary youth reported a suicide attempt.

Sixty-seven percent reported someone had attempted to change their sexual orientation or gender identity through so-called 'conversion therapy.' 

Of those who underwent conversion therapy, 42 percent admitted to attempting suicide.

When you break down the numbers, 32 percent of LGB youth who underwent conversion therapy reported a suicide attempt in the last 12 months, while the number jumped to 57 percent for trans/non-binary youth.

Conversion therapy has been discredited as ‘pseudoscience’ and widely denounced by leading professional medical associations including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychological Association.

Currently, 18 states have outlawed conversion therapy involving minors.

The research also showed that 71 percent of LGBTQ youth reported being discriminated against, and 21 percent reported experiencing physical threats or abuse.

Discrimination definitely had an impact on suicidal thoughts as 23 percent of those who experienced discrimination reported a suicide attempt in the last 12 months as opposed to 11 percent of respondents who did not.

The survey is part of The Trevor Project’s commitment to compile data and research to aid in improving the organization’s life-saving services for LGBTQ youth.

In sharing the results, The Trevor Project aims to elevate the voices and experiences of LGBTQ youth and shed more light on the dangerous practice of conversion therapy.

You can find the full results of the new survey here.

If you or someone you know is feeling hopeless or suicidal, reach out to The Trevor Project 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at 1-866-488-7386 or www.TheTrevorProject.org/Help

Colorado Becomes 18th State To Ban Conversion Therapy

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis

Governor Jared Polis - the country’s first openly gay governor - has signed two pieces of legislation into law that are vital to the health and safety of LGBTQ youth in Colorado.

HB19-1039 will allow transgender Coloradans to more easily update the gender on their birth certificate, enabling them to have the identification documents that match who they are. Coloradans will be able to update their gender on their birth certificate to M, F, or X — without a surgery, a doctor’s note, or court order.

Removing both the surgery requirement and court order requirement allows transgender people the ability to self-identify on their ID document. Colorado is the third state in the country (following California and Oregon) to have non-binary gender options for both driver’s licenses and birth certificates.

HB19-1129 will ban a state-licensed mental health care provider from engaging in the discredited, harmful practice of conversion therapy on a patient under 18 years of age. 

Conversion therapy is the discredited and dangerous practice of attempting to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. 

A physician or mental health care provider who violates this provision engages in unprofessional conduct under the applicable professional licensing board. Colorado will be the 18th state in the country to protect minors from conversion therapy.

The harmful practice is widely opposed by prominent professional medical associations including the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

A 2018 study found that the rate of attempted suicide by LGBTQ youth whose parents tried to change their sexual orientation was more than double the rate of LGBTQ youth who reported no such attempts. 

"The Trevor Project is proud to stand with One Colorado and all of the amazing lawmakers and advocates in the Centennial State as they become the 18th state in the country to protect LGBTQ youth from the dangers of conversion therapy,” said Sam Brinton, Head of Advocacy and Government Affairs for The Trevor Project. 

“Watching the first openly LGBTQ governor in the nation sign this legislation is an especially humbling moment," he added. "Trevor will continue working across the nation until this horrible practice is relegated to the dustbin of history."

Congratulations Colorado for protecting LGBTQ youth from the discredited practice of #ConversionTherapy! 🎉

Learn more about the amazing work of our partners and advocates in Colorado: https://t.co/xvxgzJE81K

Let's protect LGBTQ youth across the US 🌟 Text TREVOR to 40649 📲 pic.twitter.com/RlR5bFoFeP

— The Trevor Project (@TrevorProject) May 31, 2019

Maine Becomes 17th State To Ban 'Ex-Gay Therapy'

Maine has become the 17th state to ban so-called ‘conversion therapy’ for minors.

The legislation prohibits state-licensed counselors, psychologists, social workers, health professionals, guidance counselors and pastoral therapists from engaging in the harmful practice of trying to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Lawmakers in Maine passed a similar bill last year, but the legislation was vetoed by former Republican Gov. Paul LePage. His veto made him the only governor in the U.S. to veto a ban on conversion therapy.

Today, however, Gov. Janet Mills enthusiastically signed the bill into law saying in a statement, “Conversion therapy is a harmful, widely-discredited practice that has no place in Maine.”

“By signing this bill into law today, we send an unequivocal message to young LGBTQ people in Maine and across the country: we stand with you, we support you, and we will always defend your right to be who you are,” she added.

Today I signed into law a bill banning conversion therapy, a widely-discredited practice that has no place in Maine. Today, we send an unequivocal message to young LGBTQ people: we stand with you, we support you, and we will always defend your right to be who you are. pic.twitter.com/heInzibvFJ

— Governor Janet Mills (@GovJanetMills) May 29, 2019

Conversion therapy has been widely denounced by leading professional medical associations including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychological Association.

Studies have shown that the harmful practice can lead to depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness, and suicide.

The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ youth, is invested in ending conversion therapy in every state.

Sam Brinton, Head of Advocacy and Government Affairs for The Trevor Project, applauded Maine's efforts to help LGBTQ youth.

“After the disappointment of last year's veto, they came back stronger and passed legislation to protect LGBTQ youth from the dangers of conversion therapy," said Brinton in a statement. "We will continue to push each and every day to insure that every state in the country follows Maine's example and ends this cruel practice once and for all."

Dan Reynolds Uses Billboard Music Awards Speech To Call For Ending Conversion Therapy

Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons at 2019 Billboard Music Awards

During last night’s Billboard Music Awards telecast from Las Vegas, Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds used the band’s acceptance speech time for winning Top Rock Artists to call for a nationwide ban on so-called conversion therapy.

"I just want to take this moment to say that there are still 34 states that don't have laws banning conversion therapy,” said Reynolds backed by his band mates Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, and Daniel Platzman. “On top of that, 58 percent of our LGBTQ population live in those states. This can change, but it’s going to take all of us talking to our state legislature, pushing forward laws to protect our LGBTQ youth.”

“And lastly, we have seen with conversion therapy that our LGBTQ youth have double the rate of depression, triple the rate of suicide after conversion therapy,” he added. “It’s not working and needs to change.”

Major medical organizations like the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics have all denounced ‘conversion therapy’ which treats being gay as a mental illness.

Also known as ‘ex-gay therapy,’ the practice has been shown to lead to depression, decreased self-esteem, substance abuse, anxiety and, in some cases, suicidal behavior.

Currently, 16 states plus Washington D.C. have banned the harmful practice on minors.

Reynolds, a longtime LGBTQ ally, has spent years standing up for the community. Growing up Mormon in Utah, he saw close friends struggle to resolve being gay with their families and faith.

Reynolds does a lot more than make speeches at award shows, though.

He teamed up with former Mormon rocker Tyler Glenn to create the annual music festival LOVELOUD which aims to raise money for LGBTQ charities and organizations like The Trevor Project and the Tegan and Sara Foundation.

View this post on Instagram

celebrate our diversity. embrace our LGBTQ youth. to accept does not simply mean to “love”, it means you give true validity and fully embrace and support diverse sexual orientations and do not see ones sexuality as “incorrect” or “sinful”. love is an empty word otherwise.

A post shared by Daniel Coulter Reynolds (@danreynolds) on Mar 27, 2018 at 11:36pm PDT

View this post on Instagram

I’m in New Jersey TONIGHT for the @montclairfilm premier of “Believer” and will be doing a Q&A after with @stephenathome @tylerinacoma and @dargott Come join us 🌈

A post shared by Daniel Coulter Reynolds (@danreynolds) on May 5, 2018 at 10:24am PDT

He also helped produce the documentary Believer, which explores how the Mormon Church treats its LGBTQ members.

Last month, Reynolds took to Twitter calling for religious leaders to help stop the practice of so-called 'conversion therapy.

I plead with our religious leaders across the world to stand up for equality together. true equality - not empty words of love - but statements and actions thats show our LGBTQ youth that they are “sinless” and perfect just as they are.

— Dan Reynolds (@DanReynolds) March 20, 2019

until these changes are made within the doctrines of orthodox faith, we will continue to see increased rates of suicidality and depression/anxiety amongst our LGBTQ youth.

— Dan Reynolds (@DanReynolds) March 20, 2019

"This Is All Science" - Doctor In Kuwait Invents Suppository That Cures Being Gay

Dr. Mariam Al-Sohel

An anti-LGBTQ researcher in Kuwait, Dr. Mariam Al-Sohel, has announced to the world that she has invented a ‘cure’ for homosexuality.

“I discovered therapeutic suppositories that curb the sexual urges of boys of the third gender as well as the fourth gender, which is butch lesbians,” she explained on Scope TV, as reported by The Jerusalem Post.

The problem, she discovered, is those folks “have excessive sexual urges.”

I've never seen that as a 'problem,' but whatever...

“By the way, this is all science, so there is nothing to be ashamed of," said the academic.

Well then, if its science...

According to Al-Sohel, “The sexual urge develops when a person is sexually attacked, and afterward it persists because there is an anal worm that feeds on semen.”

Ah - that’s the answer!

Kuwaiti Academic Dr. Mariam Al-Sohel Invents Anal Suppositories That "Cure" Homosexuality Based on Islamic "Prophetic Medicine" pic.twitter.com/xPmO8kw9di

— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) April 23, 2019

She goes on to explain that her cure, based on “prophetic medicine,” comes in the form of a suppository and “cures those urges by exterminating the worm that feeds on the semen.”

Kind of like Alien?

The secret behind Al-Sohel’s ’science’ is that “bitter foods increase masculinity.” That said, it turns out the ingredients for her cure “are the same for both sexes.”

Not sure how that plays out as a ‘cure’ for her so-called ’fourth gender butch lesbians,’ but she made them different colors anyway.

Pretty!

I'm joking here only because it’s completely laughable that someone thinks any of this nonsense is real.

What’s not laughable is how LGBTQ people are treated in Kuwait.

Homosexuality is a criminal offense under the country’s ‘debauchery’ laws, as is cross-dressing. Being openly gay in Kuwait means possible prison sentences - long ones.

In fact, Kuwait is so anti-LGBTQ, Jerusalem Post reports that the National Cinema Company banned a ‘gay’ scene from the Disney film, Beauty and the Beast.

(Source: Jerusalem Post)

Massachusetts Is The 16th State To Ban 'Conversion Therapy' For Minors

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker

With a stroke of his pen, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has signed a bill into law banning the harmful practice of so-called 'conversion therapy' for minors in his state.

That brings the total number of states to prohibit the medically discredited practice to 16.

Massachusetts joins New Jersey, California, Oregon, Illinois, Vermont, New Mexico, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Nevada, Washington, Hawaii, Delaware, Maryland, New Hampshire, and New York, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Good news!! Thank you Massachusetts. Only 34 more states to go to ban conversion therapy, a form of child abuse. https://t.co/XfAaJ8QYxW

— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) April 8, 2019

Great news that Massachusetts will finally put an end to the horrific & illegitimate practice of conversion therapy for LGBTQ minors. But conversion therapy for minors is shockingly still permissible in 34 states. We must abolish this practice nationwide.https://t.co/pRXRv4SJLj

— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) April 8, 2019

News Round-Up: April 5, 2019

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunk Dan Tai (above) believes you should "go hard or go home." #legs #thighs #calves #everything #woof

• Colorado's state Assembly has approved HB 1129, which will protect LGBTQ youth from so-called 'conversion therapy.' Gov. Jared Polis, the first openly gay man elected governor, will sign the bill into law. Colorado will become the 16th state plus the District of Columbia to prohibit the harmful practice.

• Failed politician and talk show host Mike Huckabee says LGBTQ people are the "greatest threat to the moral fiber of America."

• University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health scientists report in EBioMedicine that they’ve developed an all-in-one immunotherapy approach that not only kicks HIV out of hiding in the immune system, but also kills it.

• Donald Trump is celebrating the election of homophobe Brian Hagedorn to the Wisconsin state Supreme Court. Hagedorn infamously wrote some years ago that being gay leads to bestiality, and recognition of LGBTQ pride events creates a “hostile working environment” for Christians. But, Trump is thrilled with the news.

Congratulations to Brian Hagedorn on his big surprise win over a well funded Liberal Democrat in the Great State of Wisconsin for a very important Supreme Court seat. Republicans are producing big for Wisconsin!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 5, 2019

• LGBTQ ally Cyndi Lauper & YouTube Todrick Hall have been announced to perform at the opening ceremonies of New York Pride this year. Whoopi Goldberg will host the event at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on 26 June.

• Click here if you want to hear former The View co-host moan and whine about being scolded by Barbra Walters back in 2006. It pretty much confirms what I always thought about the former reality show contestant.

• Out recording artist Gia Woods drops her latest single, "Keep On Coming," complete with a moody music video set in a shadowy bedroom.

Woods says the seductive song is about "Someone’s body that ‘keeps coming’ — meaning I’ve never met this person, but for some reason, I’m supposed to know them. I feel like somehow life relentlessly finds a way to make paths keep crossing. This is the realization whether or not you want to meet the person, it’s inevitable.”

Her breakout single, “Only A Girl,” has garnered over 10 million views on YouTube. I recently wrote about her track, "Jump The Fence," here.

Massachusetts Senate Approves 'Ex-Gay' Therapy Ban

By a vote of 34-0, the Massachusetts state Senate approved a bill banning the practice of so-called 'conversion therapy' on minors.

Previously, the Massachusetts House of Representatives approved a similar bill by a 147-8 vote.

Senator Patrick O’Connor, one of six Republicans in the Senate, voted for the bill. The remaining five GOP Senators voted ‘present.'

The bill now heads to Gov. Charlie Baker (R) who has indicated he intends to sign the bill into law.

'Conversion therapy,' or 'ex-gay therapy' purports to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of people.

Major medical organizations like the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Association have all denounced the practice which can lead to depression, anxiety, and in some cases, suicide.

Massachusetts would become the 16th state plus Washington, D.C. to ban the harmful practice.

The new law will allow adults to seek conversion therapy if they want.

Google Finally Removes Harmful 'Ex-Gay' App From Play Store

Internet power player Google has finally removed from its Google Play store an app from Living Hope Ministries that promoted so-called ‘conversion therapy’ to LGBTQ youth.

After a months-long campaign by Wayne Besen at Truth Wins Out to stop the spread of the app, plus a petition signed by 142,000 people at Change.org, and the Human Rights Campaign withholding its Corporate Equality Index score from the company, Google announced the app had been pulled.

“After consulting with outside advocacy groups, reviewing our policies, and making sure we had a thorough understanding of the app and its relation to conversion therapy, we’ve decided to remove it from the Play Store, consistent with other app stores,” Google said in a statement.

“We are delighted that Google finally backed down and deleted a dangerous app that targeted LGBTQ youth with toxic messages of guilt and shame,” said Truth Wins Out Executive Director Wayne Besen. “It is still unfathomable why Google stubbornly defended the indefensible for months, when the hateful and destructive content in this app should have been self-evident. We hope this sends a powerful message that ‘pray away the gay’ products are unacceptable and have no place in a decent and civilized society.”

HRC’s President Chad Griffin also released a statement:

“We applaud Google for making the right decision to pull this app from their online store. So-called conversion therapy is a debunked practice that’s tantamount to child abuse and is proven to have dangerous consequences for its victims. Google and other platforms that have pulled this app are taking an important step to protect LGBTQ youth.”

HRC Suspends Google's Perfect Corporate Equality Index Score Over 'Ex-Gay' App

The Human Rights Campaign is withholding Google’s score and endorsement per its annual Corporate Equality Index.

The internet giant has previously enjoyed a perfect 100 on the HRC’s annual rating index.

But you can chalk up the loss of the endorsement to the company’s refusal to remove an app from its Google Play store that targets LGBTQ youth with the harmful and dangerous practice of so-called ‘conversion therapy.’

Wayne Besen, Executive Director of Truth Wins Out, pointed up the app in the press several weeks ago. After the app’s hateful content was revealed, Apple, Amazon and Microsoft quickly removed the app from their app stores.

The app was designed by Living Hope Ministries, a Texas-based group which purports to serve people ‘struggling with a conflict between faith and sexuality.’

But Google has refused to follow suit, despite a petition with over 141,000 signatures calling for the apps removal.

In a statement, the HRC said, “We have been urging Google to remove this app because it is life-threatening to LGBTQ youth and also very clearly violates the company’s own standards.”

This is only the third time in the history of the HRC’s Corporate Equality Index that a rating has been withheld.

In 2017, the HRC suspended Walmart’s perfect score after reports the retailer hadn’t protected transgender employees from discrimination.

Walmart was given a perfect 100 this year in the CEI.

In 2015, Saks Inc. found its rating withheld when it was discovered the company was involved in a legal dispute with a trans employee.

The CEI rates companies and top law firms on criteria in four categories:

• Non-discrimination policies
• Employment benefits
• Supporting an inclusive culture and corporate social responsibility including public commitment to LGBTQ equality
• Responsible citizenship

The full report is available online at www.hrc.org/cei.

This year, a record 570 companies received a score of 100.

Many companies use their high score to attract employees who are looking to work in a diverse and supportive environment.

Governor Of Puerto Rico Bans Ex-Gay Therapy

Governor Ricardo Rosselló of Puerto Rico issued an executive order on Wednesday banning the harmful practice of conversion therapy on LGBTQ minors.

From The New York Times:

The decision came after Puerto Rico’s House of Representatives refused to vote on a bill that would have prohibited conversion therapy, a discredited practice that proponents claim can change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The measure passed the Senate this month.

“I firmly believe that the idea that there are people in our society who need treatment because of their gender identity or whom they love is not only absurd, it is harmful to so many children and young adults who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect,” said Gov. Rosselló in a statement last week announcing his plans.

Puerto Rico, with 3.2 million citizens, is an unincorporated territory of the United States.

Currently, sixteen states, Washington DC, and dozens of cities and counties have also banned so-called conversion therapy.

As I've reported many times on The Randy Report, so-called 'conversion therapy' or 'ex-gay therapy' has been denounced by practically every major medical organization including the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Podcast: Utah Fails On Conversion Therapy; Mississippi Tries To Ban Gay Prom Dates; Mr. Rogers Was Bi; Jussie Smollett Gets More Bad News

In this week's podcast:

• Utah's governor apologizes for legislature's failure to ban so-called 'conversion therapy'

• Empire star Jussie Smollett gets more bad news

• A Mississippi high school is pretending it isn't trying to ban same-sex dates to prom

• Folks are surprised to learn that the iconic Mr. Rogers may have been bisexual

• And new music from country artist Cameron Hawthorn reminds of the romance of 'Dancing in the Living Room'

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report

Conversion Therapy Bill Dies In Utah Legislature

UPDATE - The bill that would have banned 'conversion therapy' in Utah has stalled and died for this legislative session.

Republicans had tried to insert an amendment that would allow professional therapists to 'talk' about changing a teen's sexuality, but not promising to 'reverse' it.

******************************

Utah lawmakers have gutted legislation that would have banned so-called 'conversion therapy' in the state.

With recent changes, the new bill allows therapists to continue using the same techniques, just not with a promise of a certain outcome.

The new version also doesn't ban therapy intended to change transgender youth.

From The Salt Lake Tribune:

Troy Williams, executive director of Equality Utah, left the morning hearing fuming about the committee’s decision. The majority of the committee, he said, sided with “quack therapists” and “snake oil salesmen” by approving a version of the bill that would be easily sidestepped by practitioners of conversion therapy.

The substitute bill by Lisonbee, R-Clearfield, focuses on prohibiting practices that cause pain or physical distress to a minor patient. It also would ban claims that a therapy could fully and permanently reverse a child’s sexual orientation and assertions that such a change is necessary.

All of the nation’s leading mental health and medical associations, including the American Psychological Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, have rejected conversion therapy as dangerous and ineffective, and 15 states have banned certain counselors from trying to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of minors. The practice has been linked to suicide and depression, and supporters of Hall’s legislation have framed it as a potentially life-saving legal change.

The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Craig Hall, told the committee, "This bill, substitute 4, just to make it clear, will not prevent conversion therapy."

Federal courts have upheld bans on 'conversion therapy,' and the U.S. Supreme Court has refused, thus far, to hear appeals on the subject.

Georgia Assembly Considers Banning 'Conversion Therapy' For LGBTQ Youth

Georgia

The Georgia Assembly has filed landmark legislation, the Youth Mental Health Protection Act (HB 580), to protect LGBTQ youth from the dangerous and discredited practice of conversion therapy, which falsely claims to be able to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Currently, 15 states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation to protect LGBTQ from so-called 'ex-gay' therapy.

“All children in Georgia should receive care that first, does no harm. Conversion therapy has no scientific basis and contradicts the medical community’s understanding of sexual orientation and gender identity,” said bill sponsor, Rep. Matthew Wilson. “I am proud to sponsor this bill that helps ensure the safety of Georgia’s LGBTQ youth by outlawing this incredibly dangerous practice.”

Organizations like The Trevor Project are actively lobbying in every state to put an end to conversion therapy. Their 50 Bills 50 States campaign is the largest in the world working to protect LGBTQ youth from the discredited practice which can amplify stigma and shame.

A study at San Francisco State University showed LGBTQ youth who were rejected by their families due to their identities were 5.9 times more likely to report high levels of depression, 3.4 times more likely to use illegal drugs, and 8.4 times more likely to have attempted suicide when compared to youth from accepting and affirming families and caregivers.

Conversion therapy is widely denounced by prominent professional medical associations including the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

(via press release)

News Round-Up: February 5, 2019

(image via Instagram/Johnny.Desperado)

Some news items you might have missed:

• I love Wrangler jeans. And the outdoors. And cowboy hats.. And, hold on, something else, it's coming to me... :)

• The movie Boy Erased, based on Garrard Conley’s real-life journey through so-called 'conversion therapy' will not be released in Brazil. Universal Pictures says the film won't be released due to 'financial reasons.' The South American country recently elected openly-homophobic Jair Bolsonaro as president.

• If you ever wondered EXACTLY what it's like to be bullied at school as a young boy, before he's even figured out who he is, please read this by my talented friend, David Toussaint. Definitely worth the read.

A monster from my childhood is gone. Here's why I miss him. https://t.co/aYqFxVi6Z2 https://t.co/aYqFxVi6Z2

— David Toussaint (@DRToussaint) February 5, 2019

• ABC News: An investigation by a government watchdog organization shows President Donald Trump’s four trips to his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida over four weeks in March and February 2017, including his summit with the Japanese prime minister, cost the government nearly $14 million.

• Opera singer David Daniels and his husband Scott Walters, were arrested Tuesday over allegations of rape by baritone Samuel Schultz in 2010. Schultz, who told police he was drugged and raped in 2010, came forward with the allegation in August.

• Texas political phenom Beto O'Rourke gave Oprah "a strong signal" he is seriously considering a 2020 run for the White House.

Talking with @Oprah just now, Beto sends a strong signal he is weighing a run for President and will decide by the end of the month. Oprah characterized his remarks as “leaning towards a run” and Beto did not correct her... #nhpolitics #Beto #Beto2020 #DraftBeto pic.twitter.com/Nz1c4F1lxC

— Jay Surdukowski (@Jay1043) February 5, 2019

• A seven year-old boy in Wisconsin was beaten, tortured and buried in the snow until he died of hypothermia for not knowing his Bible verses.

• Pet Shop Boys drop their first single, “Give Stupidity a Chance”, from their upcoming EP Agenda (release date April 12).

Neil Tennant describes the track as “a satirical song about the poor quality of political leadership in the modern world.”

“Chicks are always up for it / You’ve got to grab whatever you can / We need a leader who knows money means class / With an eye for a peach-perfect piece of ass”

Check out the lyric video below.

Victoria To Become First Australian State To Ban 'Conversion Therapy'

David Andrews, the Premier of Victoria, announced today that his state will be the first in Australia to introduce a ban on so-called 'conversion therapy.'

Today, Cath and I will attend another Midsumma Pride March together.

We’ll march alongside thousands of other Victorians, united in the belief that everyone should be able to celebrate who they are with pride.

But for far too long and for far too many Victorians, an evil practice has instead peddled in shame and stigma.

These activities – commonly referred to as ‘gay conversion therapy’ – claim to be able to change someone’s sexuality or gender identity.

What they really are is a most personal form of torture, a cruel practice that perpetuates the idea that LGBTI people are in some way broken.

Some survivors, seeking genuine professional support, have instead found themselves on the other end of this bigoted quackery.

Others have sought it out, forced to believe that they somehow need to be ‘cured’.

But it’s not LGBTI people who need to change. It’s our laws.

That’s why, in an Australian first, we will introduce new legislation to ensure so-called ‘conversion therapy’ is against the law – once and for all.

We’ll drag these practices from the dark ages and into the brightest of lights.

We’ll put an end to the suffering and help survivors to heal.

And we’ll send the clearest message of all:

Here in Victoria, not only are you good enough – you’re worth celebrating.

As I’ve reported many times, major health care organizations like the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association and the America Academy of Pediatrics have denounced the harmful practice of conversion therapy, which treats being gay as a mental illness.

Study after study shows 'ex-gay therapy' can lead to anxiety, depression, and in some cases, suicide.

Bravo, Victoria, bravo!

NY Governor Signs Laws Banning Trans Discrimination & 'Ex-Gay Therapy' For Minors

(image via Depositphotos)

Thanks to new Democratic control of the New York state Senate, Gov. Andrew Cuomo was finally able to sign two important LGBT bills into law today.

With an American flag, a New York state flag, a rainbow flag and a transgender flag displayed prominently, the governor signed his name at a ceremony held at the New York City LGBT Community Center.

After many years of fierce advocacy and activism, we are thrilled to see GENDA and the conversion therapy ban signed into law! Thank you @NYGovCuomo for your commitment to our community. #RiseOut pic.twitter.com/7twVZG4XBs

— The Center (@LGBTCenterNYC) January 25, 2019

One, the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, or GENDA, adds gender identity to the New York Human Rights Law to which bans discrimination in employment, housing, public spaces and education.

GENDA took a 16 year journey to receiving a New York state governor’s signature. While it was passed 11 times in the state Assembly, the Republican-controlled Senate kept the important legislation out of reach.

New York is now the 20th state in the country with statewide protections banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks at signing ceremony at NYC LGBT Community Center

The second piece of legislation bans the use of so-called ‘conversion therapy’ on LGBTQ youth.

Major medical organizations like the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics have all denounced ‘conversion therapy’ which treats being gay as a mental illness.

Also known as ‘ex-gay therapy,’ the practice has been shown to lead to depression, decreased self-esteem, substance abuse, anxiety and, in some cases, suicidal behavior.

Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, issued a statement which read:

“Today, with Governor Cuomo’s signature, New York has made bold, historic progress by making GENDA the law of the land and banning the abusive and life-threatening practice of so-called ‘conversion therapy’ on LGBTQ youth.

“These laws will literally save lives, and their passage would not have been possible without the tireless work of advocates and allies across New York over the last decade. We also owe today’s celebration in large part to Senator Hoylman and Assemblymembers Gottfried and Glick for their strong leadership on this legislation, and to Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins, who made them a top priority this session.”

New York is now the 15th state to prohibit the harmful practice on LGBTQ youth.

Other states that have enacted similar laws are Connecticut, California, Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Illinois, Vermont, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Washington, Maryland, Hawaii, New Hampshire, as well as the District of Columbia.

It’s a great day to celebrate in New York state.

Check out video from the event today in New York City below.

Notorious 'Ex-Gay' Therapist Announces He's Gay And Actively Seeking To Date Men

David Matheson (image via Facebook)

My grandmother used to say all the time, "Ye who protesteth the loudest, do it the mostesth!"

That echoes in my mind as I report that a prominent therapist in the so-called conversion therapy industry has announced he has left the ‘ex-gay’ movement and is actively looking to date men.

Truth Wins Out, a nonprofit think tank and advocacy group that fights against anti-LGBT prejudice and discrimination, obtained screen captures of a private Facebook group that shared the news David Matheson, who penned the controversial ‘ex-gay’ book, Becoming a Whole Man, is now living his life as an openly gay man.

During his career as a therapist, Matheson has authored several ‘ex-gay therapy’ programs including the notorious Journey Into Manhood program.

Rich Wyler, Journey Into Manhood’s director, broke the news in the Facebook group writing, “David…says that living a single, celibate life ‘just isn’t feasible' for him, so he’s seeking a male partner.”

Wyler added, “He has gone from bisexuality to exclusively gay.”

TWO reached out to Matheson and received a statement which was appallingly absent any regret for his actions in the past. He also reveals he plans to remain in the Mormon Church.

“My time in a straight marriage and in the ‘ex-gay’ world was genuine and sincere and a rich blessing to me,” Matheson said in text messages to TWO. “I remember most of it with fondness and gratitude for the joy and growth it caused in me and many others. But I had stopped growing and was starting to die. So I’ve embarked on a new life-giving path that has already started a whole new growth process.

“I wasn’t faking it all those years,” he added. “I’m not renouncing my past work or my LDS faith. And I’m not condemning mixed-orientation marriages.”

“I continue to support the rights of individuals to choose how they will respond to their sexual attractions and identity,” he wrote in closing. “With that freedom, I am now choosing to pursue life as a gay man.”

At least one former client of Journey Into Manhood rejected the announcement.

“While I am pleased for Mr Matheson that he has found a path forward for his life, I can’t help but think of the hundreds if not thousands of people who are still stuck in the closet, a closet that was created in part by Mr Matheson himself,” said Chaim Levin, who was psychologically harmed by the program Matheson helped design for Journey Into Manhood. “I hope that Mr. Matheson will do whatever he can to rectify the harm that he’s inflicted on many people in the LGBTQ community, myself included.”

A 2007 New York Times article revealed Matheson had earned a master’s in counseling and guidance from Brigham Young University. He began full-time practice in New Jersey in 2004, where he charged clients $240 per 90-minute session.

Matheson helped develop the ‘program’ for Journey into Manhood, which took gay men go into the forest where they were encouraged to engage in “manly” activities in an effort to change their sexual orientation.

“For some people ‘gay’ is never going to work,” he told ABC’s Nightline in 2010 while discussing Journey Into Manhood. “That kind of life, and that kind of living, is never going to gel — ever — with their value system.”

“For those men, that’s why we exist, so that they can have another way, another approach of dealing with their sexual feelings,” Matheson added.

Since the publication of TWO's report, Matheson has posted a coming-out essay on his Facebook page, which reads in part:

I know my work helped many, many people because they’ve told me so. But I’m sure I’ve hurt some people too.

Not that I would excuse myself, but any shortcomings I had as a therapist came from too narrow a view of what “emotionally healthy” can look like. They came from my own homophobia and narrow mindedness. I am truly sorry for those flaws and the harm they have surely caused some people. And I’m sorry for the confusion and pain my choice may be causing others.

Even today, as a newly-out gay man, I still find too much homophobia in myself.

David Matheson seems more invested in his own journey than the people whose lives he’s ruined. May his “growth” bring him to a place where he can help his victims, as well as prevent future harm. Perhaps with time, he will become a better human being. https://t.co/1XYCZBP7zV

— Truth Wins Out (@truthwinsout) January 22, 2019

(h/t Truth Wins Out)