“It shouldn’t be an option for parents.”
That’s what Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer said when asked about her support of a conversion therapy ban in the U.S. House of Representatives.
All three Democrats who represent Iowa in the United States House of Representatives cosponsored a bill to ban conversion therapy. In all, 188 members of the U.S. House cosponsored the bill. Every single one is a Democrat.
In short, the bill prohibits commercial conversion therapy, which is a practice or treatment designed to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity or otherwise change behaviors, thoughts or expressions related to gender or sexual attraction. This prohibition does not apply to treatment that assists an individual undergoing a gender transition or facilitates identity exploration and development.
So, to clean up the confusion that surrounds this issue — because often conservatives hear this and cheer it on because they think it bans people from changing genders.
Wrong.
What this bill does is PROHIBITS people who are struggling or confused about their sexuality or gender identity from receiving therapy.
The prohibition DOES NOT apply to people undergoing gender transition or identity exploration and development.
The bill states being LGBTQ or gender nonconforming is “not a disorder, disease, illness, deficiency or shortcoming.” It states that the national community of professionals in education, social work, health, mental health and counseling has determined there is “no scientifically valid evidence” that supports the practice of attempting to prevent a person from being LGBTQ or gender nonconforming. Those same professionals have determined there is no evidence that conversion therapy is effective or an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity can be changed by conversion therapy.
In fact, it states it is in the interest of the country to prevent LGBTQ and gender-nonconforming people and their families from being “defrauded” by persons seeking to profit by offering this “harmful and wholly ineffective therapy.”
What would this bill end? Any practice or treatment by any person that seeks to change another individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions, or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender.
What will this bill not touch? Someone’s ability to change their actual gender through gender transition or anything that provides acceptance, support and understanding of a client or facilitation of a client’s coping, social support and identity exploration and development.
It would be ILLEGAL, under this law for any person to:
Provide conversion therapy to any individual;
Advertise for the provision of conversion therapy and claim in such advertising to change another individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity…eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender…or that such efforts are harmless or without risk to individuals receiving such therapy.
So, let me summarize.
The same people who support this legislation are the same people who support incorporating the LGBTQ lifestyle into school curriculum beginning in preschool.
So, parents must send their kids to school where their children will learn about the LGBTQ lifestyle. Let’s be honest, the “lifestyle” will be glorified.
Then, when little Johnny or little Susie gets confused because of what they’ve been exposed to in school, the ONLY professional counseling they can receive is counseling that supports their confusion.
Johnny thinks he’s a girl. Or Johnny thinks he’s attracted to other boys. Susie thinks she’s a boy. Or Susie thinks she’s attracted to other girls.
And when Johnny or Susie tell their mom or dad, and their mom or dad want Johnny or Susie to talk with a counselor about this confusion — it will be illegal if the counselor attempts to talk them out of gender confusion or homosexuality/bisexuality.
That is a new kind of evil, folks.
These same efforts are underway here in the Hawkeye State. Even in the Republican-controlled Iowa House, there was a subcommittee to ban conversion therapy. This idea goes against the Republican Party platform and the basic principles of the GOP.
The fact a subcommittee was held on this issue in the Iowa House is/was the second-most egregious thing to happen in that chamber this past legislative session — only behind the fact Republicans couldn’t pass the abortion neutrality amendment.
Ironically, the same people clamoring for this conversion therapy ban didn’t even speak in support of the bill at the subcommittee. Nobody supported it.
Why?
Because it wasn’t enough for the Left.
No matter how hard Republicans may try, they’ll never win that vote. Ever. Guarantee. They may find exceptions, but it’ll never be the rule.
Here is what Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer had to say about her support for the bill and her efforts to take away parental rights.
“It is fraudulent,” Finkenauer said. “It should not be happening in this country. It shouldn’t be an option for parents. And quite frankly the fact that it is still happening is offensive. And I was going to do what I could at the federal level to support the ban.”
Finkenauer added the ban should’ve happened a long time ago.
Ironically, I attempted to find out who in Iowa continues to offer conversion therapy. I’m still waiting to hear back. I asked counselors in the major metropolitan areas, nobody knew of anyone offering conversion therapy.
And while proponents of the ban will bring up horror stories from decades ago that include physical abuse, this ban includes basic talk therapy. It includes any effort — ANY EFFORT — to help someone turn away from same-sex desires or gender identity confusion.
