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Rauner signs conversion “therapy” ban into law

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Illinois

Though social conservatives were calling on Governor Rauner to protect religious rights and reject a bill that bans counselors from discussing certain topics with minors confused about their sexuality, the governor signed HB 217 into law Thursday.

The Conversion Therapy Prohibition Act, HB 217, makes it illegal for mental health care specialists to perform conversion therapies on patients under the age of 18.

The LGBT community in Illinois is delighted with the new law. It was reported that when Rauner met with the LGBT community shortly after his election, they urged him to support the effort. […]

For the most part, the bill was supported by Democrats and rejected by Republican lawmakers, except GOP senators Leader Christine Radogno and Chris Nybo and GOP House members Leader Jim Durkin, David Leitch, Mike McAulliffe, Bob Pritchard and Ed Sullivan.

* Sun-Times…

“These so-called ‘therapies’ treat homosexuality as a disease,” Evanston Democratic Sen. Daniel Biss said in a statement after Rauner signed the bill Biss sponsored with state Rep. Kelly Cassidy, a Chicago Democrat. “They’re out of date and can be deeply destructive to youth. Outlawing these practices is a small step in our pursuit for LGBT rights, but it’s an extremely important step in protecting young people in Illinois.” […]

After announcing the bill’s signing, spokeswoman Catherine Kelly said Rauner has no social agenda and believes the measure protects the children’s interests.

“The administration carefully reviewed this legislation to ensure it would not prohibit or otherwise interfere with religious freedom or family access to religious counseling,” Kelly said in a statement.

* The Advocate…

Illinois joins California, New Jersey, and Oregon on the list of states with such laws; the District of Columbia also has one. “Our version of this legislation is the most comprehensive bill in the nation, barring health providers from engaging in this practice and affording survivors access to consumer fraud action against the perpetrators of this abuse,” [sponsoring Rep. Kelly Cassidy] said. It is the first one to include consumer fraud language, she explained.

“Every major scientific organization has dismissed conversion therapy as harmful,” she continued. “The Illinois Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Association for Social Workers, and so many more have not only disproven its utility, but they have decried its effects. Children who are highly rejected by their communities based on sexual orientation are six times more likely to suffer from depression and eight times more likely to attempt suicide.

* HuffPo…

Jim Bennett, Midwest regional director for the LGBT rights group Lambda Legal, applauded the governor’s signing of the measure, telling The Huffington Post the law “puts the best interest of our young people first.”

“A more accurate name for conversion therapy is child abuse,” Bennett said. “Our LGBT young people deserve to be embraced for who they are.” […]

[Transgender Ohio teen Leelah Alcorn], 17, walked in front of a truck in December after leaving a note in which she described how her conservative Christian parents forced her to undergo conversion therapy in order to change both her sexual orientation and gender identity. In a note posted to Tumblr, Alcorn 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.”

* Illinois Family Institute…

Taradiddler Diana Rauner and Her LGBTQ-Allied Activist Hubby

Governor Bruce Rauner lied—or perhaps more precisely his wife, helpmeet, and mouthpiece, Diana Rauner, lied for him.

In a campaign ad, Mrs. Rauner stated with a Cheshire grin and a long nose that “Bruce doesn’t have a social agenda.”

Oh really…

Just this afternoon following the day during which we had to hear more about Planned Parenthood’s bloody baby-breaking business—which Ms. Rauner heartily supports—Governor “No-Social-Agenda” signed into law the anti-autonomy “Youth Mental Health Act,” deceitfully called the “conversion therapy ban” by radical LGBTQQIP activists. HB 217 will now become law.

Now minors who experience same-sex attraction as a result of sexual molestation will be prohibited from receiving counseling that may help them reject an unwanted, unchosen “gay identity.”

And minors who experience gender dysphoria will be prohibited from receiving counseling to help them accept as good their physical embodiment and to affirm a “gender identity” consonant with their objective, immutable biological sex. Even liberal sexuality and gender scientists Dr. Eric Vilain and Dr. J. Michael Bailey expressed their opposition to bans on so-called “conversion therapies” for gender dysphoric minors. I guess the powerful Wizard of Springfield knows something these experts don’t.

If you’re wondering what a “taradiddler” is, you’re not alone. I had to Google it.

Learn something new every day.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 10:44 am

Comments

“Bruce doesn’t have your social agenda.”

Fixed.

Comment by Timmeh Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 10:47 am
Why did they mention her nose? Odd, but look at the source.

Comment by anonymous II Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 10:50 am
Laurie Higgins of the Illinois Family Institute despises Rauner so much that she endorsed Pat Quinn for reelection. Want to bet Ms. Higgins that Pat Quinn also would have signed that bill into law?

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 10:52 am
I’ve never understood if “xtianity” is such a preferential lifestyle like the IFI makes it out to be,why do they force “it” on others. Maybe it’s the 19 and Counting school of xtianity.

Comment by Jack Stephens Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 10:57 am
The IFI is probably the least self-aware social lobbying group in Illinois. They don’t care if they destroy themselves if they feel they got in a good “jab”

Pathetic group.

Good on the Governor. Well done.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 10:58 am
@IFI

You’ll still keep voting republican. You’ve got nowhere else to go, and you are too hardheaded to not vote.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 10:59 am
Good on the GA and Gov. Rauner for protecting children from these greedy hateful quacks

Comment by Wordslinger Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 11:06 am
It’s a no brainer. The treatment wasn’t done all that often and never worked. Rauner gets points for ending this harmful and distasteful “treatment”.

Comment by dupage dan Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 11:07 am
No doubt there is some quackery in that field of treatment. Hardly unique. But I’m not an expert, and neither are Illinois lawmakers or Rauner.

You don’t have to agree with this kind of treatment to say this was a legislative overreach. It’s taking away freedom to choose. This was 100% about identity politics and zero about health.

Comment by too obvious Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 11:07 am
Im a Republican but the IFI is an embarrassment. How can they expect to be taken seriously when they put out stuff like that?

Comment by Anon Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 11:11 am
“bans counselors from discussing certain topics with minors confused about their sexuality”

newthink & crimethink

Comment by LIberty Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 11:13 am
Well, I guess the only conversion therapies allowed now are for those who don’t want to be heterosexual, because…uh, religion is so not cool.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 11:13 am
Am I the only one who read “taradiddler” in the voice of Ned Flanders, adding an extra “diddly” in the middle?

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 11:15 am
The problem with a lot of Christians is that they don’t preach the Truth with love. In an increasingly secular society Christians need to be even more careful conveying the message with love not hate.

Comment by State Employee Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 11:16 am
VMan the law has nothing to do with religious counseling. It’s aimed at for-profit quacks like Marcus Bachman.

Comment by Wordslinger Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 11:24 am
Kudos to Governor Rauner.

And as an aside: anything the IFI is against is almost certainly the right thing to do.

Comment by thunderspirit Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 11:25 am
VanillaMan: What did that even mean?

Comment by Timmeh Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 11:26 am
Looks like someone is using the word-a-day calendar I sent them…

Comment by OneMan Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 11:27 am
==religion is so not cool==

Please oh please don’t tell me you are playing the religious victim card.

The IFI is pathetic. For an organization that’s supposed to be about family and values they sure do spout an awful lot of hate. Why anybody would associate with them is beyond me.

Comment by Demoralized Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 11:32 am
==minors who experience same-sex attraction as a result of sexual molestation== They actually think homosexuality is contagious (and, apparently that heterosexuality is not reverse-contagious). Man, that’s scary.

Comment by SAP Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 11:32 am
I’m just relieved that the definition of “taradiddle” isn’t anything obscene.

Comment by Eugene Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 11:36 am
I’m embarrassed just for reading the IFI release. I dont share any of their agenda, but if any group I supported sent that out, that would be the last dollar they get. I dont think there is a cogent sentence any respectable news outlet could excerpt.

Comment by The Way I See It Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 11:45 am
“[M]inors who experience gender dysphoria will be prohibited from receiving counseling to help them accept as good their physical embodiment and to affirm a ‘gender identity’ consonant with their objective, immutable biological sex.”

For good or ill, such counseling does not appear to be banned by the statute:

“Prohibition on conversion therapy. Under no circumstances shall a mental health provider engage in sexual orientation change efforts with a person under the age of 18.” (emphasis added) http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=099-0411

The IFI often conflates the many things they’re against, but the rest of us need not be as confused.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 11:46 am
==No doubt there is some quackery in that field of treatment. Hardly unique. But I’m not an expert, and neither are Illinois lawmakers or Rauner.

You don’t have to agree with this kind of treatment to say this was a legislative overreach. It’s taking away freedom to choose. This was 100% about identity politics and zero about health.==

This.

If sexual orientation has at least some nurture component, then you prevent someone’s right to try to influence it along that dimension.

The real fight will be when the genetics are fully understood, and it can be screened / influenced medically.

Biss’s “disease” comment also deserves to be addressed, but I don’t think that’s possible here.

Comment by Shoe Searer Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 12:17 pm
“minors who experience same-sex attraction as a result of sexual molestation”

According to the American Psychological Association: “No specific psychosocial or family dynamic cause for homosexuality has been identified, including histories of childhood sexual abuse. Sexual abuse does not appear to be more prevalent in children who grow up to identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, than in children who identify as heterosexual.”

Also, the numbers just don’t add up, i.e. Somewhere between 1.51% and 8% of the population of the US identify as GLBT. However, reliable estimates given for child sexual abuse in the US are 16% for males and 27% for females. The vast majority of adults who were sexually abused as children are heterosexual. That is a huge causality fail.

The IFI isn’t something that anyone should take seriously. And increasingly, even in GOP circles, people are recognizing it as such.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 12:17 pm
The IFI is two hundred years behind the times. It would really make them upset if we banned their pitchforks and torches.

Comment by Wensicia Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 12:35 pm
==- anonymous II - Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 10:50 am:

Why did they mention her nose? Odd, but look at the source. ==

Just to make your comment explicit for the peanut gallery, Diana Rauner is Jewish (by heritage).

Comment by crazybleedingheart Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 12:39 pm
Classy dogwhistles, Illinois Review.

Comment by crazybleedingheart Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 12:40 pm
Sorry, IFI was the group that said Diana Rauner had a long nose.

Comment by crazybleedingheart Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 12:41 pm
I don’t believe the IPI understands what Vilain and Bailey wrote: http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-vilain-transgender-parents-20150521-story.html

Comment by G'Kar Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 12:48 pm
Another good law. Take away the govs ofd hatred of unions and prevailing wage and he could be a hreat gov for ill.

Comment by Ghost Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 12:51 pm
I just hate having to read a news article with an open dictionary.

Taradiddle is a much better word that disingenuous

Comment by Huh? Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 12:57 pm
“If sexual orientation has at least some nurture component, then you prevent someone’s right to try to influence it along that dimension.”

No, parents can still “influence it along that dimension”. This law regulates mental health providers.

The regulation of bars and taverns doesn’t prevent parents from serving their children whiskey in their own homes, but such regulation does forbid bars from serving whiskey to children. Even if their parents think it’s a good idea.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 1:05 pm
Kelly Cassidy’s Facebook take on the IFI piece was sort of funny. She was trying to figure out what the extra letters after LGBT stood for.

None of us could figure that out.

Comment by Gooner Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 1:07 pm
Proof that agreement is possible. The GA and Governor have done some good things together. If the posturing and invective and campaigning could just pause for a while, maybe… Nah…

Comment by Archiesmom Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 1:26 pm
First this law. Eventually a big hike in the income tax. It will drive the IR/IFI people nuts.

Comment by nona Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 1:29 pm
Me thinks the IFI’s dscription of Mrs. Rauner having a long nose was more of an attempt to use a Pinocchio analogy (i.e. his nose grew whenever he told a lie) vs. a disparaging remark regarding her religion or ethnicity.

Comment by GA Watcher Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 1:30 pm
So do I have this right, that children molested by someone of the opposite sex experience heterosexual attractions? Is that how they make heterosexuals?

Comment by MasterPiece Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 2:01 pm
==No, parents can still “influence it along that dimension”. This law regulates mental health providers.==

Right. I originally wrote that but edited it out, as it seemed obvious that parents would broadly still be able to address it as they wished.

I think there were probably other ways to address quackery / those doing (willful) harm to youth than to ban all mental health professionals from this type of work.

Comment by Shoe Searer Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 2:04 pm
If Illinois Review, the Family Institute, and AFSCME are all mad at you, you’re probably doing somewhere around OK, huh?

Comment by steve schnorf Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 2:30 pm
Nice try, Steve.

Comment by crazybleedingheart Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 2:47 pm
==Me thinks the IFI’s dscription of Mrs. Rauner having a long nose was more of an attempt to use a Pinocchio analogy (i.e. his nose grew whenever he told a lie) vs. a disparaging remark regarding her religion or ethnicity.==

Sure, sure, and dogwhistles are silent.

Unless you’re a dog.

Comment by crazybleedingheart Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 2:48 pm
Shoe Searer, there is zero evidence that these therapies work and lots of evidence that they cause actual harm, up to and including suicide, which is a frequent “side effect.” It’s a good law and one that many R’s should be ashamed they did not support.

Comment by Pawn Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 3:20 pm
“In a campaign ad, Mrs. Rauner stated with a Cheshire grin and a long nose that “Bruce doesn’t have a social agenda.”

Really now…hahaha

Comment by Politix Friday, Aug 21, 15 @ 3:23 pm