Conversion therapy for children is going to be banned in Appleton.

The city council supported the proposal for sexual orientation and gender identity on a 14-1 vote late last night.

People on both sides spoke for about three hours, before the council debated the ban for another half-hour.

Ald. Vered Meltzer says the therapy is based on the premise that being gay or transgender is not OK. He says the goal or only acceptable outcome is for patients to stop being gay, or stop being trans, whether they want to or not.

The ban covers medical or mental health professionals that have a state licenses. If any of them break the law, the city will refer them to the state agency that handles the licenses.