The White House is focusing on trying to end “conversion therapy” on LGBT youths by throwing support behind efforts in 18 states to ban the practice.
It’s already illegal in California, New Jersey and Washington, D.C.
A petition asking the administration to get involved drew more than 100,000 signatures, triggering the White House response issued Wednesday evening written by senior advisor Valerie Jarrett.
“Conversion therapy generally refers to any practices by mental health providers that seek to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Often, this practice is used on minors, who lack the legal authority to make their own medical and mental health decisions. We share your concern about its potentially devastating effects on the lives of transgender as well as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and queer youth,” Jarrett wrote.
“When assessing the validity of conversion therapy, or other practices that seek to change an individual’s gender identity or sexual orientation, it is as imperative to seek guidance from certified medical experts. The overwhelming scientific evidence demonstrates that conversion therapy, especially when it is practiced on young people, is neither medically nor ethically appropriate and can cause substantial harm. As part of our dedication to protecting America’s youth, this Administration supports efforts to ban the use of conversion therapy for minors.”
Jarrett elaborated on MSNBC, stressing “young people should be valued for who they are no matter what they look like, where they come from, their gender or their identity or who they love.”
“So our first job is to get out the scientific information. You know, parents — I’m a mom. We want to do right by our parent — our children. And we want to raise them to be healthy. We want to make life as easy on them as possible,” she said. “And so what we want to make sure is that the information is out there about how destructive these practices can be. And just as you have spoken to many transgenders, I’m sure, who have been subjected to this therapy, so have I. And the impact on their lives is — is devastating.”
“So let’s get the information out there and then what we’re going to do is work state by state and we do have 18 states now that are looking at legislation and let’s try to get the word out there about the impact that this can have and the best way to get laws changed is through public opinion, right?”
Jarrett said they would support a broader national policy at the congressional level, but for now they’re going to concentrate on the states.
She hosting a Tumblr chat tomorrow “with experts who are going to come and talk about this so that families who are considering this therapy for their children will have the information about hos destructive it could be.”
“And so we’ve got to approach this almost from a variety of different approaches, not just simply legislation, but also equipping people with information,” Jarrett said.
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