Obama Comes Out Against Gay Conversion Therapy, Will Seek State Bans

The White House made it clear today that President Obama is officially coming out against gay conversion therapy and will seek state bans against the practice.

Back in December, a transgender teenager named Leelah Alcorn committed suicide by walking in front of a semi-trailer truck. In a suicide note on Tumblr, Alcorn said her mother had a very negative reaction and sent her to a Christian therapist who specializes in gay “conversion.” She wrote, “The only way I will rest in peace is if one day transgender people aren’t treated the way I was, they’re treated like humans, with valid feelings and human rights.”

A month later, someone set up a petition on the White House website to end conversion therapy because of the serious harm it can do to LGBT youth. Well, tonight Valerie Jarrett responded to the petition and made one thing very clear: “As part of our dedication to protecting America’s youth, this Administration supports efforts to ban the use of conversion therapy for minors.”

And as The New York Times reported tonight, the president plans to speak out himself and call for an end to gay conversion therapy because of how moved he was by Alcorn’s tragic case.

But instead of calling for a federal ban, the president is reportedly planning to push for state-level bans.

[image via Shutterstock]

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Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac

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