Maine votes to ban gay ‘cure’ therapy for minors
Maine could be the next US state to ban conversion therapy for minors
Maine has voted to pass a bill banning gay ‘cure’ therapy on minors.
Openly gay representative Ryan Fecteau sponsored bill LD 912, which hopes to stop licensed medical or mental health practitioners from conducting the controversial practice.
The bill received enough votes to pass, but not enough support to avoid a potential veto from Republican Governor Paul LePage who has yet to confirm whether he will allow the bill to pass.
Marty Rouse, National Field Director at the Human Rights Campaign, urged LePage to pass the bill, saying: “This critically important legislation will help ensure children in Maine are not subjected to a practice that amounts to nothing less than child abuse.
“It’s now imperative that fair-minded people across the state contact Governor LePage’s office and urge him to sign this bill protecting LGBTQ youth or allow it to become law.”
He added: “Other Republican Governors across the country – including most recently in neighbouring New Hampshire – have signed the similar bipartisan legislation, and it’s vital for Maine’s LGBTQ youth that Governor LePage does the same.”
If the bill does pass, Maine will join the 10 other American states that have banned the practice, including New Jersey, California, Oregon, Illinois, Vermont, New Mexico, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Nevada, Washington and Hawaii.
Meanwhile, the practice will be banned in Maryland from October 1 and in New Hampshire from January 1, 2019.