LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Cheers ripped through the Kentucky Capitol Rotunda Wednesday morning as Gov. Andy Beshear signed an executive order banning conversion therapy for minors statewide.
The Human Rights Campaign describes conversion therapy as an attempt to change a person's sexual or gender identity, typically in youths.
Kentucky is the 24th U.S. state to enact a complete ban on conversion therapy.
The ban has been proposed to the General Assembly multiple times in the past eight years, and while individual cities like Covington and Louisville have adopted bans, this is the first time Kentucky has had a total ban on the practice.
"Today’s action does not force an ideation on anybody. It does not expose anyone to anything in a library or school. It simply stops a so-called 'therapy' the medical community says is wrong and hurts our children," Beshear said.
Several state advocates, medical professionals and conversion therapy survivors stood alongside Gov. Beshear as he signed the bill into law.
"Today, we all join Governor Beshear to send a crystal clear message to all of Kentucky's queer kids and their families, you are perfect as you are," said Chris Hartman, executive director of The Fairness Campaign.
The leading medical and mental health organizations in the United States have voiced opposition to conversion therapy. Medical professionals have said the dangerous practice has no basis in medicine and science, and causes significant long-term harm to young people.
Children subjected to conversion therapy are more than twice as likely to commit suicide as other children, according to The Trevor Project.
According to The Trevor Project's national survey on LGBTQ mental health, 21% of Kentucky's LGBTQ youth have been threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy.
"It's a debunked medical practice," Hartman said. "Not just snake oil, but snake venom that every major medical and education association strongly opposes on minors."
Eric Russ, executive director of the Kentucky Psychological Association, had a message for people who were subjected to the "widely discredited" practice of conversion therapy.
"The harm you experienced came from an understanding of psychology and mental health treatment that was wrong," Russ said.
Many medical professionals now believe affirming care can be much more beneficial to kids than conversion therapy.
"We know the best thing we can do as medical providers is to affirm the identity of the kids in our care," Russ said.
There have been efforts within Kentucky's legislature to make it illegal statewide, with a bill being proposed as recently as 2023, but nothing was passed in the Republican-dominated state legislature.
Tanner Mobley, who currently works for the Trevor project, says he has been working with other advocates to get legislation banning conversion therapy passed in Kentucky for the last eight years.
"As a proud queer man from Bullitt County, Kentucky, I stand here filled with hope and gratitude as our governor takes a powerful step to protect LGBT young people from conversion therapy, an abusive practice that has harmed too many of us for far too long," Mobley said.
Dr. Sheila Schuster of the Kentucky Mental Health Association has also advocated for conversion therapy bans, calling the practice torture.
"It's not therapy, it's conversation torture," Schuster said.
Not everyone in the Commonwealth reacted favorably to Beshear's order.
The Family Foundation, a Kentucky-based organization that proclaims to stand for "Kentucky families and the Biblical values that make them strong by advocating for God-honoring public policy" condemned the move.
"Gov. Beshear’s executive order is an unlawful action that will hurt children, trample the fundamental rights of Kentucky parents, and suppress free religious expression. This order, like previous failed legislative efforts, is designed to promote false LGBTQ ideologies and muzzle Christian counselors, therapists, and pastors from helping children struggling with sexual orientation or gender identity confusion," executive director David Walls said in a statement. "Kentucky parents and their children should be free to seek the faith-based counseling on sexuality and identity issues that they need. The Christian message on sexuality and human dignity is not harmful, it is life-brining."
According to Mobley, the results of this ban is the culmination of efforts across the state, and it's a misconception that Republicans are against a conversion therapy ban and Democrats are for it.
"It was truly the work of Kentuckians across the state who came together to fight for our young people across political divides from Pikeville to Paducah," Mobley said. "In 2021 this issue had more Republican cosponsors than any other pro-LGBT bill in this United States history history. This work really, truly transcended partisan lines."
Many of those who spoke at the podium on Wednesday got teary-eyed while referencing the survivors of conversion therapy in the room and across the Commonwealth.
"This executive order is a beacon of hope. To any young person who is watching right now, I need you to know that we are fighting for you," Mobley said.
The ban prohibits the use of state and federal funds for the practice of conversion therapy on minors in Kentucky.
The Governor himself can’t within his powers ban the practice. Only the state legislature can make conversion therapy illegal. Rather, Beshear’s executive order strongly encourages state agencies to act accordingly when they get reports.
"In Kentucky, we don’t do things that hurt people. It can be that simple," Beshear said. "We see you, we care about you, and now I'm going to sign an executive order ending conversion therapy in Kentucky."