SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Yesterday, the Minnesota House passed HF 16, which bans conversion ‘therapy’ for minors and vulnerable adults and removes funding from Minnesota’s Medical Assistance (MA) for the practice. Conversion therapy is a dangerous and discredited practice that has traumatized many 2SLGBTQ+ Americans. Rep. Larry Kraft (DFL - St. Louis Park) co-authored and voted for the legislation. It passed the House 81-47.
“I was happy to vote to ban this harmful practice and send a message that in Minnesota, we respect and love people for who they are,” said Rep. Kraft. “We should start by recognizing that even calling this conversion ‘therapy’ is a misnomer. It's not therapeutic. It's a discredited practice that has caused depression, anxiety, lowered self-esteem, alienation, and even suicide. Our 2SLGBTQ+ neighbors don’t need harmful treatments. Rather, they should be supported in embracing their own identities.”
Every major professional health organization opposes conversion therapy, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychiatry Association. The Senate’s companion bill is moving through its committees, and Gov. Walz supports the legislation. Video of the floor session will be available on House Public Information Services’ YouTube Channel.
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