Denver City Council votes to ban conversion ‘therapy’ for minors

9th January 2019

“We will never allow our LGBTQ+ youth to be the targets of these dubious practices.”

Denver has become the latest US city to ban conversion therapy for minors.

The landmark moment came after Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and two city council members submitted the proposal to the Denver City Council committee last month.

“This is a very proud moment for my administration, for members of City Council, and for everyone in Denver who values inclusion and acceptance,” Hancock said in a statement.

“Tonight’s vote to ban conversion therapy our city coming together and saying with one voice that we will never allow our LGBTQ+ youth to be the targets of these dubious practices, and that we are here to support them.”

There are currently only 14 states that ban conversion therapy for minors: New Jersey, California, Oregon, Illinois, Vermont, New Mexico, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Nevada, Washington, Hawaii, Delaware, Maryland and New Hampshire.

Five of these occurred in 2018 alone, so there’s hopes that Colorado will soon follow suit.

Hancock continued: “Who they are is something to be celebrated, not maligned, and Denver will always be there to lift up our youth and ensure that they have the opportunity to grow up safe, happy and healthy.

“I want to thank the members of City Council for their vote tonight, as well as Council members Kniech and Clark, the LGBTQ commission, and all of our partners who stood beside us to support this proposal and advocate for its passing.”

The vote came days before Colorado elected the United States’ first openly gay governor.

Shortly after he was sworn in, Jared Polis said in a statement: “Right now, our nation is experiencing a period of growing divisiveness and rising tribalism.

“But we here in Colorado have chosen a different path. Here, we have come so far, climbed so high, and done so much not just to say, but to show that we reject that brand of politics.

“We have embraced the idea that no two people are exactly alike, and we have decided to celebrate our differences, Colorado for all.”