Richmond City Council Passes Unanimous Bipartisan Resolution Urging State to Bar Conversion Therapy for Minors

(Richmond, VA - September 9, 2019) Today, the Richmond City Council passed a unanimous bipartisan resolution urging the Virginia Legislature to pass legislation protecting LGBTQ youth from conversion therapy, the life-threatening practice of trying to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.

Today's resolution by the Richmond Council notes that "conversion therapy leads to critical health risks including anxiety, depression, decreased self-esteem, substance abuse, homelessness" and expresses support for "the prohibition of conversion therapy practices in the city of Richmond and throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia."

Statement by Mathew Shurka, Conversion Therapy Survivor and Born Perfect Co-Founder and Chief Strategist:

"We applaud Mayor Stoney and the Richmond Council for standing up for conversion therapy survivors and letting LGBTQ youth know that they are valued. I was sent to a conversion therapy program in Virginia. As I know firsthand, being subjected to conversion therapy is a devastating and traumatizing experience for young people and their families. States have a responsibility to ensure that mental health professionals do not abuse their state-issued licenses to engage in this life-threatening practice, and today's action by the Richmond City Council sends a powerful message to Virginia lawmakers to do their job and address this critical issue."

Statement by Adam Trimmer, Born Perfect Ambassador for Virginia:

"As a conversion therapy survivor, I am incredibly moved that the Richmond Mayor and local representatives are taking this powerful step when I once believed that I was alone. No young person in Virginia should have to fear being harmed by this destructive practice. We urgently need a statewide law, and this is a major step toward making that happen."

Statement by Shannon Minter, Legal Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights:

"Lawmakers across the country are working together across partisan lines to protect LGBTQ youth from this dangerous practice, which has been universally rejected by our nation's leading medical and mental health organizations. LGBTQ youth are already at a heightened risk of depression and suicide attempts due to the discrimination they face. Conversion therapy multiplies those risks exponentially. We are grateful to Richmond for its leadership and for demonstrating that, regardless of their political differences, lawmakers have a shared interest in promoting the health and wellbeing of all youth."

Statement by Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney:

"A city that values diversity, equity and inclusivity can't stay silent about a barbaric and abusive practice that targets LGBTQ+ youth. I am proud that members of Richmond's City Council joined me in opposing the inhumane and regressive practice of conversion therapy and affirming the sexual orientation and identities of all Richmonders."

Born Perfect is a survivor-led campaign to end conversion therapy created by The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLRights.org), a national legal organization committed to advancing the human and civil rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education. Bornperfect.org