ACLU-WV Legal Director Loree Stark sent a letter today to members of Charleston City Council and Mayor Amy Goodwin’s Office regarding Bill 7919, which would restrict so-called conversion therapy.
The practice of conversion therapy, wherein a therapist or counselor attempts to change a client’s sexual orientation, is debunked by mainstream science and is harmful to patients. According to at least one study, LGBTQ+ people who undergo conversion therapy are 92 percent more likely to attempt suicide.
Because regulation of speech or conduct may raise constitutional concerns, ACLU-WV felt it necessary to analyze the bill’s language. ACLU-WV believes the bill, as drafted, would survive a constitutional challenge.
Read the letter in its entirety below.