Mental health organizations release statement highlighting risk of suicide and severe trauma
State Representative Kelly Cassidy will be calling HB 217 for a vote in committee today, seeking to prohibit sexual orientation conversion therapy, a practice deemed disastrous for the well being of children by every prominent mental health organization.
"This archaic form of so-called treatment is based on an outdated and flawed philosophy that greatly increases the risk of suicide and mental anguish to the children who are forced to participate" said Cassidy. "Today I join with the most respected mental health organizations in our state to call for an immediate end to this abuse."
A joint letter signed by fourteen organizations representing groups including pediatricians, psychologists and psychiatrists strongly criticized the practice, stating that youth forced into the practice are "more likely to have high levels of depression,engage in substance abuse, and attempt suicide."
"The practice violates the basic Hippocratic oath of Do No Harm," said Dr. Scott Leibowitz, Head Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist for the Gender and Sex Development Program at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. "Promoting stigma and shame, rather than acceptance and support goes against the fundamental principles of our practice and poses a unique and serious danger to children."
The bill will be heard in the Juvenile Justice and System Involved Youth Committee on Tuesday, March 17th at 1pm in 413 Stratton.
Letter: Mental Health Organizations Support SB 111/HB 217, Protect LGBT Youth in Illinois by Banning Sexual Orientation Change Efforts
We, the undersigned professional mental health, medical and academic organizations, strongly support the Illinois Conversion Therapy Prohibition Act - Senate Bill 111 and House Bill 217. The Act protects the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ( LGBT ) youth from harmful and ineffective sexual orientation change efforts, which are also referred to as conversion therapy.
Our position is guided by scientific evidence and an adherence to the medical dictum to "First, do no harm."
To justify sexual orientation change efforts, conversion therapists define homosexuality as a sickness or disorder requiring conversion therapy. However, sexual orientation and gender identity are not mental disorders or diseases, and, therefore, ethical mental health practitioners should not attempt to "cure" or "repair" LGBT people through the use of sexual orientation change efforts.
Efforts to "convert" or "repair" a LGBT person are based on theories with questionable scientific validity. In fact, over the last four decades, conversion therapists have not produced any rigorous scientific evidence to prove their claims of a cure. Instead, sexual orientation change efforts are often guided by forces opposed to civil rights for LGBT people.
Such bias against people based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity negatively affects the mental health of LGBT people. In fact, LGBT youth who experience rejection and social stigmatization are more likely to have high levels of depression, more likely to engage in substance abuse, and more likely to attempt suicide.
We firmly believe that ethical practitioners in Illinois should refrain from attempts to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
Furthermore, to protect the mental and physical health of LGBT youth, we strongly support and urge the Illinois General Assembly and Governor to approve the Conversion Therapy Prohibition Act — Senate Bill 111 and House Bill 217.
Signers at the link: www.windycitymediagroup.com/pdf/banconversionbillsigners.pdf .