After at least 22 Florida jurisdictions have adopted ordinances banning conversion therapy on minors, the City Commission is considering a similar local ordinance in Tallahassee. At their Dec. 4 meeting, the commissioners will review a report on the issue of conversion therapy and introduce a proposed local ordinance and resolution.
Conversion therapy is a controversial practice that attempts to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity through approaches like aversion therapy, talk therapy, or prayer. In legislation, the practice is often referred to as “SOCE,” which stands for “sexual orientation change efforts.”
SOCE is controversial because of its potential negative effects on mental health patients. According to a report from the American Psychological Association’s Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation (APA Task Force), effects of SOCE on patients can include depression, self-hatred, and high-risk sexual behaviors.
In efforts to protect minors from the negative impacts of SOCE, at least 22 Florida jurisdictions have banned the practice on minors by passing local ordinances.
The proposed ordinance in Tallahassee would follow suit and “ban the practice of conversion therapy within the City of Tallahassee on minors,” staff reports. The ordinance would apply to licensed mental health providers.
Notably, according to the report, the ordinance would not stop licensed mental health providers from expressing their views about SOCE or recommending SOCE to patients. Licensed providers would also still be allowed to administer SOCE to patients above the age of 18.
Additionally, according to the report, licensed providers could still refer patients to unlicensed providers like religious leaders, who could administer SOCE to minors or adults. Minors could also seek SOCE in other municipalities without bans.
The City Commission will vote on holding a public hearing in 2020 for the proposed ordinance. Once passed, the ordinance will take effect immediately.
City of Tallahassee Takes on “Conversion Therapy” added by Lexie Pitzen on
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Shouldn’t a child’s medical treatment be decided by the parents? Certainly not the government. If this is being taught as an appropriate therapy then medical professionals should have it at their disposal, having obtained consent from the parents.
How did commissioner’s get to the place of having this on the agenda ? How do we ,on any level think this is productive or useful for this bunch to be in on this type of garbge .
They struggle on the badic infrastructure issues we face as it is .
This is just stupid to me .
But I understand God created a man and a woman PERIOD
We dont get to pick what gender we think we should be .
This liberal bullying has got to stop .
Conversion Therapists should go get enough signatures to create a local ordinance banning city commissioners!
That would ROCK.
And to think; some local governments focus on things like fixing potholes, updating crumbling infrastructure, cleaning and maintain drainage ditches, cutting wasteful spending, curbing corruption, and an honest and ethical stewardship of our local tax dollars and governmental operations to name just a few…
But hey, why do all that when we can meddle in patient/doctor relationships to forward a unhealthy and unnatural lifestyle choice agenda…
You all’s Mayor, Chubsey Daily, in his leadership position should have had the common sense to thank the libs on the Commission for their feelings…then tamp down this nonsense before it even saw the light of day.
And further more what if a M/M or a F/F couple try to convert their child to their homosexual style of life by sending the child to a therapist…that would be liberally acceptable…right???
Maybe you all’s Mayor Chubsey Daily, in his leadership position, will enlighten us with his opinion on this!!!!
Start with this rule: Classify all publicly available services or groups that attempt to change an individual in any way as medical practices. Add any exceptions we need to make it practical.
the first step to dissuade folks from teaching right from wrong….
“teaching right from wrong”
But who determines right from wrong?
I agree, this is a medical practice that has it’s regulatory roots a at the State level. I want to read the whole ordinance. First, who is going to monitor what a private practice therapist administers. Second, what is the penalty? Big difference between an ordinance that would say, revoke a business license for violating the ordinance opposed to a political stunt that has no penalty.
Sexual orientation vs. Gender Distopia are two completely issues. Gender identity is absolutely a mental health symptom of underlying mental health issues dealing with the inability to accept reality and body mutilation – both which are common in a host of other mental health diagnosis.
I do not feel such subject matter is appropriate for a city commission to take up in the first place. Who the hell do our commissioners think they are?
They need to focus on all the graft, corruption, and potholes.
Get to work on that commissioners.
Agreed^.
I’m against conversion therapy, but it’s not my place (or the government’s) to tell others how to raise their kids.
Then why ban drinking and smoking for minors?
How about just stay out of it?
This should be banned by the legislature but they are GOP so that won’t work.