Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear banned the use of the controversial practice of Conversion Therapy” on minors in Kentucky on Wednesday.
Calling his executive order "an overdue step to protect children" from the widely discredited practice that tries to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity through counseling, Gov. Beshear used his executive power to implement the ban after efforts to enact a state law banning the practice repeatedly failed in Kentucky’s Republican-dominated legislature.
The executive order signed by Beshear bans the practice and makes it illegal to use state or federal funds to provide conversion therapy to minors. It also gives the state’s board of licensure the authority to take action against anyone found to have practiced conversion therapy on minors and gives the board the authority to bring disciplinary action against anyone found in violation of the new executive order.
“My faith teaches me that all children are children of God,” Beshear said during the signing ceremony at the Kentucky Statehouse. “And where practices are endangering and even harming those children, we must act. The practice of so-called ‘conversion therapy’ hurts our children.”
Activists for mental health and LGBTQ+ rights drowned out a lone protester with cheers for the Governor, who was on the shortlist of names to be Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate.
Anticipating such attacks, Beshear said his action “does not force an ideology on anybody.”
“It simply stops a so-called ‘therapy’ that the medical community says is wrong and hurts our children,” Gov. Beshear said.