In a significant stride for the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation on Wednesday outlawing the practice of conversion therapy for minors. The controversial method, which attempts to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, has been widely discredited by scientists and is now banned in a total of 22 U.S. states.
The new law in Michigan identifies conversion therapy as any practice or treatment by a mental health professional designed to alter a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Notably, this ban does not encompass counseling for individuals undergoing a gender transition. The opposition to conversion therapy by LGBTQ+ advocates is firmly grounded in research, which indicates that the practice may heighten risks of suicide and depression.
This legislation was approved by the Michigan Senate last month through a 21-15 vote, featuring bipartisan support with one Republican joining Democrats. A section of the opposition, primarily Republicans, voiced concerns that the ban might inadvertently hamper the efforts of mental health professionals.
Nonetheless, this new law stands as an affirmation of the commitment of the Democratic Party, which took control of the state government earlier this year, to safeguard the rights of Michigan’s LGBTQ+ community. In furtherance of this commitment, lawmakers have also amended the state’s civil rights act earlier this year, thereby codifying LGBTQ+ protections and permanently prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in Michigan.
Whitmer, a parent to an LGBTQ+ community member, said in a statement, that banning the “horrific practice,” of conversion therapy was necessary to making Michigan a place “where you can be who you are.” She signed an executive directive in 2021 prohibiting the use of state and federal funds for conversion therapy on minors.
Whitmer follows with a tweet, “As a mom of a member of the community and a proud, lifelong ally, I’m grateful that today we’re banning the horrific practice of conversion therapy in Michigan. In doing so, we are taking action to make Michigan a more welcoming, inclusive place.”
Michigan’s strides towards greater inclusivity mirror those in other states where Democrats have recently taken the helm. Minnesota passed a similar ban on conversion therapy in April, and in Arizona, Governor Katie Hobbs enacted an executive order prohibiting state agencies from using funds to either promote or facilitate conversion therapy.
In response to a surge in discriminatory legislation across states this year, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) issued an unprecedented state of emergency for the LGBTQ+ community in May. The emergency declaration, the first in the HRC’s 43-year history, underlines the ongoing challenges faced by the community and emphasizes the importance of progressive legislation such as the one passed in Michigan.
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