Kentucky lawmakers pass legislation removing conversion therapy restrictions

Kentucky lawmakers passed a measure Friday seeking to protect the controversial practice known as conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth, repealing an executive order from Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear (Ky.) that restricted the practice.

The state Legislature has a GOP majority in the House and Senate, which succeeded in passing the bill, which also prevents people from using Medicaid to support gender-affirming health care for transgender residents, according to The Associated Press.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is also imposing a similar ban to comply with President Trump’s executive order declaring the United States would only recognize two sexes.

The idea that there are only two genders often is taught in conversion therapy to promote heterosexual behaviors.

Beshear has said conversion therapy is “equivalent to torture” and sought to ban tax dollars from being used to support the practice on minors in his 2024 executive order.

He cited statistics from the Trevor Project’s 2023 survey that said 41 percent of LGBTQ youth reported seriously considering attempting suicide in the past year and 14 percent reported they had attempted suicide in the past year. Of those LGBTQ people who had attempted suicide, 28 percent reported having been threatened with conversion therapy and 28 percent reported having been subjected to conversion therapy.

GOP lawmakers, including state Rep. David Hale, argued families should have the freedom to select the mental health care of their choice, adding the bill would protect institutions and ordained ministries from discrimination when providing counseling services, according to AP.

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