Hawaii is set to become the 12th state to ban “conversion therapy” for minors. Conversion therapy is rooted in the belief, often found in religious communities, that sexuality and gender identity is a choice, and something that can be changed through therapy. “So-called ‘conversion therapy’ is nothing short of child abuse with life-threatening consequences for countless LGBTQ youth,” Winterhof said in a statement. New Jersey, California, Illinois and New Mexico are among the 11 states that have implemented legislation banning conversion therapy. California is currently trying to classify conversion therapy as a fraudulent business practice in order to close this loophole.

Source: Huffington Post April 30, 2018 15:33 UTC