A Republican lawmaker from Hudson has filed legislation that would ban practices by mental health providers who seek to change a minor’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

The practice known as conversion therapy is “abusive and fraudulent,” says state Rep. Eric Schleien, a one-term representative who received a 97.3% score from the conservative House Republican Alliance.

“I have officially submitted a first draft of legislation that would ban the abusive practice of sexual conversion therapy for minors,” he announced on Facebook. “It would also declare that anyone putting themselves out there as someone who practices this would be liable for fraud.”

White House support

Earlier this year, Pres. Obama lent his support to state efforts to ban the therapy for minors. “The overwhelming scientific evidence demonstrates that conversion therapy, especially when it is practiced on young people, is neither medically nor ethically appropriate and can cause substantial harm,” Valerie Jarrett wrote in the White House response to a petition that called for a national ban.

The petition had been submitted to the White House in response to the suicide of Leelah Alcorn, a 17-year-old transgender youth who ended her life after posting a suicide note describing how her parents had attempted to change her gender identity by forcing her to attend conversion therapy.

“Therapists that engage in the attempt to brainwash or reverse any child’s gender identity or sexual orientation are seriously unethical and legislation is needed to end such practices that are resulting in LGBTQ+ deaths,” the petition read.

The White House stopped short of calling for federal legislation to ban conversion therapy, but expressed support for state efforts. “While a national ban would require congressional action,” Jarrett wrote, “we are hopeful that the clarity of the evidence combined with the actions taken by these states will lead to broader action that this Administration would support.”

California, New Jersey and the District of Columbia have outlawed the treatment. New Hampshire will become the 16th state with active legislative initiatives underway according to New York magazine, while four states – Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland and Virginia – have turned back efforts to ban the practice.



Pushback

In a preview of the pushback the proposed legislation is likely to receive, Kevin Kervick, a family therapist and 2012 candidate for the New Hampshire House, denounced Schleien’s proposal as a “slippery slope to tyranny.”

“Are you going to start policing the health professions for quack therapies?” Kervick asked on Facebook. “You will have a long list of procedures to ban if you seek empirical basis. Yours is not the liberty position. Conversion therapy is no more damaging or less effective than a host of other procedures. I thought you wanted less government regulation?”

“I believe a child who was a victim of this therapy would say their liberties were violated,” Schleien responded. “I see this as protecting liberties where they’re currently being trampled upon.”

“And the therapy doesn’t work,” Schleien continued. “That’s fraud and this would make that clear in law. It’s both a protection to children who are victims of this and to parents who get duped by camps and practitioners who make false claims this works.”

“It is basically just cognitive behavior therapy with a twist,” Kervick countered. “People desire behavior change and seek out professionals to help them change. What business does the state have in telling them they cannot seek certain therapies? … Consumers and professionals should decide what is best for them, not the police state.”