"Conversion Therapy" Ban to be considered by Mayor's LGBTQ Advisory Council after 7-0 vote by Erie City Council

By Michael Mahler

On September 19, 2018, Erie City Council passed a resolution introduced by Councilmember Kathy Schaaf to have the Mayor's LGBTQ Advisory Council research and report back on potential city ordinance to ban conversion therapy. The Mayor's LGBTQ Advisory Council is expected to meet in October, and the City of Erie Solicitor has already seen a draft of the potential ordinance. If the solicitor and the advisory council approve a review, the ordinance would still need to be voted on by Erie City Council and signed by the Mayor.

"Conversion therapy"-sometimes called "reparative therapy"-attempts to change an individual's gender identity or sexual orientation. It has been found to be ineffective and sometimes harmful to the individual, and every mainstream medical and mental health association has rejected it. (see article here for more on rejections of conversion therapy)

About the Author

Michael Mahler Michael Kenton Mahler (He/Him) has been the editor of Erie Gay News since it was founded in December 1992. He is also a founding member of NWPA Pride Alliance. He serves on the Governor's Commission for LGBTQ Affairs and is active with Aging with Pride and the Erie County HIV Task Force. He became the first LGBTQ person to be fully out in May 1992 when appearing on local TV coverage. Michael currently works as a software developer for Erie Custom Computer Applications.