WINCHESTER Both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly have passed legislation that would prohibit conversion therapy for people under age 18.

The House of Delegates on Monday voted 66-27 in support of HB 386, which would ban any health-care provider or person who performs counseling as licensed by the Department of Health Professions from engaging in conversion therapy with a minor. Doing so would constitute unprofessional conduct and would be grounds for disciplinary action. All House Democrats, including 10th District Del. Wendy Gooditis of Clarke County, and 11 Republicans voted in favor of the bills passage. Twenty-seven Republicans, including 29th District Del Chris Collins, R-Frederick County, and 33rd District Del. Dave LaRock, R-Hamilton, voted against the bill.

On Jan. 21, the Senate voted 21-18 in support of similar legislation, SB 245. Sen. Jill Vogel, R-Upperville, who represents the 27th District, was the only Republican to vote in favor of the bills passage.

Each chamber must now consider the others legislation.

Conversion therapy is defined in HB 386 as any practice or treatment that seeks to change an individuals sexual orientation or gender identity.

To date, 19 U.S. states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have passed laws banning conversion therapy for minors.

I have known people whose parents had forced them into conversion therapy, Gooditis said in a text. Not only did it have no effect whatsoever on their sexuality or identity, but the effects it did have were to drive them from their families and create huge, long-term mental distress. Some of the methods used which they described to me were appalling forms of physical and emotional abuse, and we must not permit these to be inflicted on people in the name of trying to force them to be something their families want them to be.

In a message to The Star, Vogel wrote: I do not support adolescent conversion therapy. Medical science does not support the benefits of such a practice and instead the evidence shows the severe harm [that] can be done to a child.

But LaRock countered in an email that HB 386 would rob parents and their teens of the right to make the best treatment decisions for the childs unwanted sexual desires or their choice of sexual identity, limiting the freedom of Virginias youth and their parents to select therapists that work for them. This bill also violates the special nature of the client-therapist relationship, threatens religious liberty, and quite possible free speech rights. Scientific studies have shown that sexual orientation can, and does, change, especially in youth. Public policy should be based on sound, evidence-based science, not ideologically-driven political correctness.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) the nations largest LGBTQ civil rights organization has called conversion therapy dangerous, especially among minors. HRC says conversion therapy can lead to depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness and suicide.

The American Psychiatric Association also strongly opposes conversion or reparative therapy. The APA says it does not believe that same-sex orientation should or needs to be changed, and efforts to do so represent a significant risk of harm by subjecting individuals to forms of treatment which have not been scientifically validated and by undermining self-esteem when sexual orientation fails to change. No credible evidence exists that any mental health intervention can reliably and safely change sexual orientation; nor, from a mental health perspective does sexual orientation need to be changed.

Collins could not be reached for comment.

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Virginia poised to make 'conversion therapy' illegal for minors - The Winchester Star