Kentucky’s governor will sign an executive order Wednesday to ban a controversial therapy practice that has been discredited by nearly every major medical association.
Gov. Andy Beshear’s office said the Democrat will sign the order to unilaterally ban conversion therapy across the commonwealth.
Conversion therapy is a discredited form of counseling that involves interventions that attempt to change an individual’s sexual orientation, sexual behaviors or gender identity. Like the American Medical Association put onat the foundation of so-called conversion therapy – a practice that “often includes immoral techniques” – is the assumption that “homosexuality and gender non-conformity are mental disorders and that the sexual orientation and identity of gender can be changed”.
The AMA, which supports the ban on conversion therapy, added that these assumptions “are not based on medical or scientific evidence”.
Beshear’s move comes as legislative efforts to ban conversion therapy have fizzled — with those efforts coming almost exclusively from Democrats.
Democrats in both chambers of the state legislature have continually introduced bills that would enact a statewide ban. Democratic representative Lisa Willner, a psychologist in Louisville, has seen several bills on the issue attract attention, but not enough traction to be passed.
Alice Forgy Kerr, a former Republican member of the state Senate from Lexington, tried repeatedly to pass a bill that would ban the practice when she served in the Senate until 2022, but her proposals never gained significant traction.
A handful of cities have already passed local ordinances to ban conversion therapy, including Lexington, which became the third city in Kentucky to ban the practice in 2021later Covington and Louisville.
Rebecca Blankenship, executive director of Ban Conversion Therapy Kentucky, announced Beshear’s future action, saying Tuesday night, “this is five years too late, but better late than never. Thank you to Governor Beshear for taking steps to protect children of Kentucky.
Although criticized by some for not being a strong enough ally for the LGBTQ community, Beshear is the first governor of Kentucky, in 2020, speak at a statewide LGBTQ rally. At that demonstration, he asked the legislature to pass a bill presented by then Rep. Forgy Kerr to ban controversial therapy practice.
Likewise, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman has become more vocal in her support for LGBTQ rights. She spoke at this year’s Pride event on Louisville’s waterfrontand during the 2023 legislative session where Republicans passed a bill that would ban gender-affirming health care for transgender youth, Coleman. struck down that policysaying “shame on any adult who would use our children as pawns in their political game.”
Beshear also criticized that policy, saying at the time, “We are sitting at a time of great promise in Kentucky, but Kentucky cannot reach its full potential unless all people feel free to be themselves.” .