Conversion therapy for minors is now illegal in Kentucky.
Gov. Andy Beshear banned the controversial and discredited practice via executive order Wednesday after legislation that would have done so failed to pass in the Republican-controlled state legislature.
Research has shown that conversion therapy — which aims to change an LBGTQ person's sexual orientation or gender identity through counseling and behavior modification — leads to an increased risk of depression and suicide in minors. It is staunchly opposed by most major medical organizations.
The executive order not only bans the therapy, but also allows Kentucky's state board of licensure to take action against anyone who is found to have violated the order. 23 other states and Washington, D.C., ban conversion therapy for minors, according to Beshear’s office and the Movement Advancement Project.
“My faith teaches me that all children are children of God, and where practices are endangering and even harming those children, we must act. The practice of so-called ‘conversion therapy’ hurts our children,” Beshear said just before he signed the mandate.
