Conversion therapy or reparative therapy is counseling performed with the goal of changing an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity, including, but not limited to, efforts to change behaviors, gender identity, or gender expression, or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender or sex. The overwhelming research demonstrates that sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts can pose critical health risks to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning persons. Being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning is not a mental disease, mental disorder, mental illness, deficiency, or shortcoming.
Various jurisdictions in Florida and throughout the country have passed legislation prohibiting conversion therapy, including the cities of Wilton Manors, Oakland Park, Miami Beach, West Palm Beach, and Seattle, and the states of New Jersey, California, Illinois, New York, and New Mexico.
Research is needed to determine whether the County may prohibit conversion therapy and the scope of the potential Ordinance. |