Lexington is one step closer to becoming Kentucky’s third city to ban conversion therapy for minors. The City Council Tuesday voted unanimously to move the ordinance forward for final consideration.
If enacted, the LGBTQ Youth Mental Health Protection Ordinance would prevent state licensed providers from engaging in treatment of minors to encourage a change in sexual orientation or gender identity. Council Member Liz Sheehan said the ordinance is a meaningful step to protect youth from the, “outdated and harmful practice known as conversion therapy." Sheehan said, "the harms of attempting to change or repair someone’s gender identity or sexual orientation have been well documented and denounced by every leading medical and mental health organization. As a governing body, we have the opportunity to protect minors from increased suicide rates and long-term mental health injury."
Saying he thought conversion therapy was a bad way to handle any youth, Council Member Fred Brown still asked if it should be the council’s job to regulate it. As to the question of pastoral counseling, those who are not state licensed would not be covered under the ban.
The Lexington Human Rights Commission would enforce the ordinance. Noting she supports the spirit of the ordinance, Council Member Amanda Mays Bledsoe said licensing boards may be better suited to take this action. “Cause it would seem to me that if the licensing board would pull their license for doing this, that would seem a far more effective way of handling it than going through the Human Rights Commission,” said Mays Bledsoe.
Community Outreach Liaison in the Mayor’s Office, Craig Cammack, told council the Human Rights Commission would contract with a psychologist to help with investigation of complaints. Council Member David Kloiber said the local law prohibiting conversion therapy would offer clear direction. The ordinance will receive final consideration in the coming weeks.
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