Seattle set to ban gay conversion therapy for minors
Seattle is set to be the third city to ban gay conversion therapy for minors.
The ordinance to ban the practice advanced out of the Seattle City Council committee hearing on Tuesday (July 26) and is expected to pass tomorrow (August 1).
According to KIRO7, Seattle Council member Lorena Gonzalez said, “It’s absolutely offensive to me, that instead of providing these children, who are going through perhaps a moment of confusion… instead of providing them the support that they need, there are people out there who believe it’s appropriate to convince these children that their same-sex orientation is somehow a disease, or an illness, or something that can be cured. And I think that that does a disservice.”
The practice, which aims to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of a person, has so far been banned in the states of California, Oregon, Illinois, New Jersey, Vermont and the District of Columbia.
Cincinnati and Ohio are the only two cities in the US to ban the practice and Seattle will become the third.
If passed, offenders of the ordinance could face a fine of up to $1,000.
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