PAHO/World Health Organization: "Therapies" to change sexual orientation lack medical justification and threaten health

Sen. Ted W. Lieu bill would be first in nation to regulate conversion therapy

SACRAMENTO – Senator Ted W. Lieu (D-Torrance) today released the following statement in response to the Pan American Health Organization’s (PAHO/WHO) recommendations for governments, academic institutions, professional associations, the media, and civil society  to denounce and sanction “conversion” or “reparative” therapy:

“I commend the World Health Organization and its Pan American Health Organization for their strong statement denouncing gay conversion therapy. PAHO/WHO states "These supposed conversion therapies constitute a violation of the ethical principles of health care and violate human rights that are protected by international and regional agreements."  PAHO/WHO notes reparative therapies "lack medical justification and represent a serious threat to the health and well-being of affected people." The world's oldest health organization calls on governments to prevent therapists from engaging in this harmful non-medically based practice, and to sanction them. That is what Senate Bill 1172 seeks to do.”

For more, including a Fact Sheet on SB 1172, visit Lieu’s Web site at the address below or contact Lieu’s office.

Ted W. Lieu chairs the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee and represents nearly 1 million residents of Senate District 28, which includes the cities of Carson, El Segundo, Hermosa Beach, Lomita, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Torrance, as well as portions of Long Beach, Los Angeles and San Pedro. For more, visit www.senate.ca.gov/lieu