City Council last week unanimously passed a bill to ban conversion therapy for minors.
The bill would prohibit “the practice of conversion therapy by mental-health providers on patients under 18 years of age, under certain terms and conditions.” Those who violate the bill would face a $2,000 fine and the revocation of their commercial licenses. Additionally, repeat offenders will be subject to a minimum $1,000 fine, up to 90 days of imprisonment or both.
Councilman Mark Squilla introduced the bill in December and the Committee on Public Health and Human Services unanimously approved the legislation earlier this month.
Squilla told PGN he introduced the bill after seeing that some LGBT individuals were being treated as if they had a mental disorder.
“We believed it was necessary to introduce the bill to exclude minors from that process against their will to go through some type of conversion therapy,” Squilla said. “We looked at it as a form of abuse and I believed that as a progressive city [like] Philadelphia, we would take the forefront and not permit it to happen.”
Squilla noted the message this bill sends LGBT youth.
“It shows the welcoming nature of our city, that we are understanding and that people have the right to feel comfortable in their own shoes and to be who they are,” he said. “We’re not going to force anybody to be any different at that. We stand up for all of the people in the city of Philadelphia.”
The bill is currently awaiting Mayor Jim Kenney’s signature before it takes effect. Kenney was not immediately available for comment but voiced his support of the bill in a December statement.
“Philadelphia stands as a city of love, acceptance and hope for all people. Our LGBTQ youth cannot and will not be subjected to the torment and torture of conversion therapy in our city,” Kenney said. “I am heartened by the other cities passing similar bills and hope the message resounds nationwide: We cannot stand for violence of any kind against people for who they are or who they love.”
Squilla said the mayor is still “strongly in favor” of the bill.
Conversion therapy is currently banned in eight states, with Pittsburgh being the first city in Pennsylvania to ban the practice last year. Legislation was also introduced in Allentown to ban the practice earlier this month.