So, in Utah HB 399 was introduced this session to ban conversion therapy in Utah. Similar legislation has gained some momentum across the country and is currently the law in 13 states as well as in some municipalities where the state does not have those protections in place. The bill was introduced by Rep. Craig Hall a Republican from West Valley City Utah.
House Bill 399 would have prohibited the practice of conversion therapy on LGBT children. As my already intelligent readers know conversion therapy is defined as efforts to change someone sexual orientation or gender identity. Once the bill reached the House Judiciary committee, it was gutted by the committee chairwoman, Karianne Lisonbee a Republican from Clearfield. The amendments she proposed only restricted abusive practices and allowed the most dangerous portion of this, talk therapy, to continue. Also, in the amendments gender identity was removed. I reached out by email to Karianne and received no comment from her at the time of writing. I can only assume that she will not since we can assume that the bill was obviously drafted by outside interests or Karianne herself has no clue what happens in conversion therapy. So, I will add this, Conversion or reparative therapy are efforts to get someone to change their sexual orientation or gender identity. Practices have ranged from electroshock and induced vomiting to being forced to present as more masculine or feminine. The practice has been discredited, but persists in Utah. People who have undergone it often report being referred to it by ecclesiastical leaders. So, in a sense, by gutting this, this is what Karianne and the people who helped draft her bill are supporting. The ball is in your court Karianne although I noted that you are smug about doing this, at least you seemed this way in committee. You know it is sad when even the Governor and the Lt. Governor have to apologize for your actions. The Lt. Governor even went and sat with some LGBT youth outside the Governor’s office. You, of course, remain “unavailable” for comment and issued a generic statement to the media. Guess they didn’t tell you about that up there when ya got elected, huh.
This is not surprising that the bill was both gutted and the lack of comment made by the person responsible. This becomes a common practice in legislation where the LDS church has influenced members of the legislature either through them being a member of the church or direct lobbying on the part of the church. It is an unfortunate practice because the church seems to believe that they should have a say on nearly any bill that goes through the legislature. In Utah, it’s often laughed about as “part of living here” however, in reality, they are in a sense effecting licensed practice with their beliefs and not an evidence-based practice. That and the church runs two different conversion therapy groups, so you be the judge of that.
So why do I even care? Well first off Nurses and Nurse Practitioners deal with the whole health of the patient. In my case, it is from diagnosing and prescribing down to psychosocial and the spiritual. We take more time to be involved because that is our mission. When we have someone especially a vulnerable child, we do our best to help them be less vulnerable. I am not a fan of my patients being tortured. I am less of a fan when they try to commit suicide or complete the act. It says a lot when we condone this kind of torture isn’t it Karianne? I saw the usual “suspects” in the committee room that day. The Eagle Forum, the Sutherland Institute all in their usual state when a bill that even mentions gays is presented to give their cloud of non-evidence-based content. I would be super sympathetic if the evidence showed it worked (which it doesn’t) and it didn’t greatly enhance suicidality (which it does).
The idea that we would try to force a “morality” or a parents’ lifestyle on a child through torture is inconceivable. If you don’t think to make someone vomit or to electrocute them is not torture, maybe you should try it. It is nothing short of child abuse, so why don’t you care? I do, and I don’t even have kids.
Utah’s Eagle Forum was represented by Gayle Ruzicka who seems to have made it a life’s mission to eradicate the gays and ironically fight against any bills that would help drug addicts considering that her son died of an overdose. I’m sorry he passed Gayle, but decent humans would spend time trying to benefit children and prevent suicide.
Yeah, I called some people out because, in the end, we should not say, “it’s about the children” and fucking mean it. What kind of society are we that makes a child want to die?
On a happier note, I was glad to see the Governor and Lt. Governor support the bill, and the Governor apologized to the group of LGBT kids that did a sit-in (that the Lt. Gov joined and listened to the kids not just talked them down).
As Dan Savage said, “it gets better,” and it does. Kids if you are having trouble coping, I suggest that you point your browser to:
The Trevor Project: The Trevor Project is an American non-profit organization founded in 1998 focused on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. Through a toll-free telephone number, it operates The Trevor Lifeline, a confidential service that offers trained counselors. Wikipedia
http://www.trevorproject.org
or
Equality Utah: Equality Utah is an American non-profit 501 organization which is Utah’s largest LGBT rights group based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The organization is a member of the Equality Federation. Wikipedia
http://www.equalityutah.org
These organizations will provide real counseling that addresses the real stresses something that Karianne could give a rat’s ass about. Move over Karen I think we met someone who may care less about children than you.
Anyone reading this that has thoughts of self-harm, please call 911 or go to the closest ER. It may not be the thing you wanted to do, it may be tough to address, but at least you will be alive to pursue your life.
The bats agree…simple as that