Via press release from Connecticut Equality: The Connecticut Senate voted unanimously today to pass HB 6695, AAC The Protection of Youth from Conversion Therapy 36-0, with bipartisan support. Sponsored by Senator Beth Bye and Representative Jeff Currey, the bill has 100 co-sponsors and was approved in the House by an overwhelming margin last week. “We are delighted with today’s vote, and grateful …
Read More »Tag Archives: LGBT youth
Ex-Gay Torture Industry Group Files FTC Complaint Alleging “Fraudulent Testimony” By Their Own Victims
Back in early 2016 the SPLC filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission against the New Jersey-based ex-gay torture group People Can Change, alleging that the group’s practices constitute consumer fraud. It’s not clear why it’s taken them so long, but this week the ex-gay torture industry filed an answering complaint. From the anti-LGBT hate group C-FAM: A complaint …
Read More »For Second Time SCOTUS Refuses To Hear Appeal Of California’s Landmark 2012 Ban On Ex-Gay Torture
Bloomberg reports: The U.S. Supreme Court let stand a California law that bans licensed therapists from working with children to change their sexual orientation from gay to straight, rejecting an appeal that said the measure violates religious rights. The rebuff leaves intact a federal appeals court decision upholding California’s 2012 first-of-its-kind law. The measure prohibits the form of counseling known …
Read More »VIRAL VIDEO: Bill Nye Uses Ice Cream Cone Orgy To Demonstrate Absurdity Of “Conversion Therapy”
Boing Boing reports: This cartoon from Bill Nye Saves the World uses various ice cream flavors as part of a hysterical analogy on the intolerant views of Christians when it comes to sexuality. It starts off with various flavors of ice cream showing up at an “Ice Cream Conversion Therapy” group. Vanilla is the dogmatic leader of the group. “It’s …
Read More »Dems Try Again On National Ex-Gay Torture Ban
Dominic Holden reports at Buzzfeed: Name something on the agenda for Democrats in Congress and it’s likely DOA — including a bill to protect LGBT kids, which the Republican majority let die last year without a hearing. And yet, buoyed by their progressive constituency and resolve to set themselves apart from the Trump administration, Democrats will take another shot this …
Read More »MINNESOTA: Hate Group Drops Lawsuit Seeking To Bar Transgender Students From School Locker Rooms
Via press release from the ACLU: An organization that filed a federal lawsuit last year to bar transgender students from using locker rooms consistent with their gender identity today announced that they have voluntarily dismissed their lawsuit. The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Minnesota had intervened in the case on behalf of a transgender girl, identified as …
Read More »VIRGINIA: State Supreme Court Rejects Hate Group’s Attempt Overturn School District’s LGBT Protections
The Associated Press reports: The Virginia Supreme Court has dealt a blow to a bid to overturn protections for gay and transgender students at a northern Virginia school district. Andrea Lafferty, president of the Traditional Values Coalition, and a student filed a lawsuit after the Fairfax County School Board voted to add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to its non-discrimination …
Read More »OKLAHOMA: Teenage Pages Warned “Cross-Dressers Are In The Building” During Capitol Visit By LGBT Youth
Tulsa World reports: An email telling teenage pages that “there are cross-dressers in the building” caused a noon-time furor in the Capitol on Monday. The email, by a House staffer who oversees the page program, was apparently prompted by the visit of about 70 LGBTQ students from the Tulsa area who were lobbying mostly on behalf of HIV awareness and …
Read More »NEW MEXICO: Governor Signs Ex-Gay Torture Ban
The Associated Press reports: Gov. Susana Martinez has signed legislation that would ban the use on minors of conversion therapy that seeks to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The measure was among dozens signed by the Republican governor as the Friday deadline approached for her to act on legislation passed during the session that ended March 18. …
Read More »NEW HAMPSHIRE: House Panel Rejects Ex-Gay Torture Ban Upon Urging Of Rep Who Does Ex-Gay Torture
The Concord Monitor reports: New Hampshire won’t ban gay conversion therapy for minors this year, after a House committee voted this week to hold back the bill. In a 13-8 vote, the House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs committee retained the legislation Tuesday over concerns that it limits parental rights and counseling for youth working through their sexuality, members …
Read More »Anti-LGBT Activists Launch Complaint Campaign Against Vimeo Over Reported Ban On Ex-Gay Torture Videos
Notorious anti-LGBT activist Michael Brown is EVER so pissed that the content-sharing platform Vimeo is apparently rejecting all submissions that support ex-gay torture. Today he screeches in a post for the American Family Association’s OneNewsNow: If Jesus has changed your life and set you free from homosexual practice, your testimony is not welcome on Vimeo – not now, not ever. …
Read More »OHIO: Columbus Bans Ex-Gay Torture [VIDEO]
The Associated Press reports: Officials in Columbus have voted to ban conversion therapy in the city. The Columbus City Council voted to ban the practice in a meeting Monday night. Conversion therapy is any practice that seeks to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Professionals in the medical community say the practice is illegitimate and does not work. LGBTQ …
Read More »COLORADO: Senate State Affairs Committee Kills Ex-Gay Torture Ban For The Third Consecutive Year
Via press release from One Colorado: Today, a Colorado senate committee — for the third year in a row — killed a bill that would protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) young people by banning the dangerous and discredited practice of conversion therapy. One Colorado, the state’s leading advocacy organization for LGBTQ Coloradans and their families, released the …
Read More »TEXAS: State Senate Passes Anti-Transgender Hate Bill, Passage Uncertain In GOP-Dominated State House
The Houston Chronicle reports: The state Senate on Wednesday gave final approval to the so-called “bathroom bill,” sending a message that the upper chamber of one of the nation’s largest states supports redefining which public bathrooms can be used by trangender persons. The measure passed on final reading by a vote of 21-10. That’s the same margin by which the …
Read More »ORLANDO: Local Businessman Launches Scholarship Fund For LGBT Students In Honor Of Pulse Victims
The Associated Press reports: An Orlando businessman is raising money for scholarships for gay students in order to honor the 49 patrons killed during the Pulse nightclub massacre. Barry Miller said Monday the fund would award 10 scholarships each year, each worth $4,900. Students would have to self-identify as “out,” attend an institution of higher learning full time and have …
Read More »FLORIDA: North Bay Village Becomes State’s 8th Town To Ban Ex-Gay Torture As Statewide Bill Languishes
Via press release from the South Florida LGBT rights group SAVE: On Tuesday night, North Bay Village voted to enact its own local ban on so-called conversion therapy. At the urging of SAVE, the Village, located just outside of Miami, became the latest jurisdiction in South Florida to adopt such a ban. “This year we’re hitting the ground running in …
Read More »Robin Roberts Thanks Her Gay-Supportive Parents After Preview Of ABC’s Ex-Gay Torture Exposé [VIDEO]
This morning ABC previewed a segment from tonight’s 20/20 ex-gay torture exposé. Afterwards, Good Morning America host Robin Roberts choked back tears, saying, “No one was more religious than my parents. And I’m so grateful, especially after seeing this, of how supportive they were of me as a gay woman and (of) my family and friends.” Watch below.
Read More »Education Secretary Betsy DeVos Meets With LGBT Rights Groups Over Transgender Student Rights
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos today met with three LGBT rights groups to discuss the Trump administration’s revocation of Obama’s guidelines on transgender student protections. Chris Johnson reports at the Washington Blade: Stephanie White, executive director of Equality Michigan, said her organization sought out the meeting to convey the “profound negative consequences” of the withdrawal of the guidance protecting transgender students. …
Read More »TEXAS: Senate Panel Advances Anti-Transgender Bill
The Texas Tribune reports: After 13-plus hours of emotional testimony, largely in opposition, the Senate State Affairs Committee voted Wednesday to advance the so-called Texas “bathroom bill” to the full chamber. The vote was 7-1; Sen. Judith Zaffirini voted against, and Sen. Charles Schwertner was not present at the meeting but asked to be shown as voting yes. The vote …
Read More »UTAH: Legislature Repeals “No Promo Homo” Law Banning Public Schools From Discussing LGBT Issues
Ben Winslow reports at Salt Lake City’s Fox affiliate: Utah lawmakers have passed a bill repealing a controversial law forbidding discussion in classrooms of anything that could be construed as “promotion” of homosexuality. Senate Bill 196’s passage might also get the state out of a lawsuit filed by three students and a pair of gay rights groups. The bill, sponsored …
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