New legislation has been introduced to protect the LGBTQ community from the practice of conversion therapy.
This legislation comes following a bipartisan interim study that found the practice causes short- and long-term negative mental health effects on LGBTQ youth in Oklahoma, according to a news release by The Trevor Project.
Rep. Jason Dunnington, R-88, worked with Freedom Oklahoma and the Trevor Project to introduce the legislation in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention program for LGBTQ youth, according to the release.
Troy Stevenson, advocacy campaign manager for “50 Bills 50 States” at The Trevor Project, said in the release their research shows suicide attempts are more than twice as likely for those who have undergone conversion therapy.
The Trevor Project's research results showed that 42 percent of LGBTQ youth who underwent conversion therapy reported a suicide attempt in the past year, with that likelihood increasing to 57 percent for transgender and non-binary youth, according to the release. Dunnington said in the release that conversion therapy can also lead to homelessness, drug use, depression and anxiety.
This bill aims “to protect Oklahoma's youth from abusive practices and move closer to an Oklahoma that is safe for all of our children to call home,” said Allie Shinn, executive director of Freedom Oklahoma.
“If we want to be a state that is serious about protecting children, then we must protect all of our children,” Dunnington said in the release.
Shinn said in the release there is no credible evidence that confirms whether or not conversion therapy changes sexual orientation or gender identity.
Stevenson said because the evidence clearly shows how detrimental and dangerous conversion therapy is to health and well-being, this legislation will save lives.
“It is our hope that this bold action will not only lead to protecting young people in Oklahoma from the dangers of conversion therapy, but that it will further catalyze change across the country and encourage lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to enact similar protections for LGBTQ youth,” Stevenson said.
