Equality Virginia, the commonwealth’s top LGBTQ organization, is urging its supporters to take some time to get in some last-minute comments on proposed professional regulations that would punish mental health practitioners, counselors, or social workers from attempting to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
The public comment forum for the Board of Medicine’s guidance document will remain open until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
In the past, LGBTQ advocates have introduced bills to ban licensed therapists from subjecting minors to conversion therapy, but all have consistently been killed in subcommittee in both the Republican-led House of Delegates and Senate. So activists began embracing another option: getting Virginia’s licensing boards, which can promulgate their own regulations, without having to seek approval from the General Assembly.
Earlier this year, the Virginia Board of Psychology and the Board of Counseling released guidance that declared subjecting patients to conversion therapy a form of “misconduct” that could carry repercussions for therapists or counselors who engage in it. Both boards also opened up online forums to receive public comments, which are taken into account when a new regulation is proposed.
Of course, with Democrats taking control of the General Assembly starting in January, there may still be an opportunity for a statute explicitly banning the practice on minors. But in the meantime, advocates have focused on ensuring that the regulations take effect — an approach favored by Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant (R-Henrico) instead of an outright ban.
“As a former member of the Board of Medicine, I know the process works to protect patients and hold clinicians accountable by restricting or revoking their license to practice,” Dunnavant said in a statement clarifying her stance on conversion therapy ahead of November’s elections, when she narrowly defeated Del. Debra Rodman (D-Henrico) in a fiercely fought contest. “Bottom line, I condemn [sexual orientation change efforts] and believe the clinicians on our boards are the appropriate experts to regulate clinical licenses.”
Equality Virginia notes that conversion therapy, despite being touted by some conservative groups, actually has very little scientific basis, as it operates from the assumption that being LGBTQ is a mental illness that needs to be cured. The organization has also taken the stance that mental health professionals should provide ethical and affirming care that meets patients’ needs and desired goals, not that aligns with a therapist’s personal moral or religious views.
Additionally, the therapy has been shown to increase feelings of depression, suicidal thoughts, and even suicide attempts among those subjected to it, largely because it capitalizes on a patient’s feelings of shame and societal rejection in an effort to encourage them to commit to the therapy, with the eventual goal being a change in orientation or behavior.
“If these bans pass, engaging in conversion therapy will be grounds for removing of a license to practice psychology, counseling, or social work,” Equality Virginia noted in an email. “By using these public comment forums, you are able to let the boards know that residents of the Commonwealth do not see conversion therapy as an acceptable practice and we expect Virginia to change its standard.”
To submit a comment on the proposed regulation to the Board of Medicine, visit townhall.virginia.gov.
The city council of Odessa, Texas, passed a "bathroom ban" that disallows transgender individuals from using restrooms in public buildings that don't match their assigned sex at birth.
The measure, approved by a 5-2 vote, expands a 1989 ordinance prohibiting individuals from entering restrooms of the opposite biological sex.
Under the updated ordinance, the city can seek fines of up to $500 against anyone violating the law. Those who enter facilities not designated for their assigned sex at birth will face misdemeanor trespassing charges, reported the Texas Tribune.
A pair of Senate Democratic candidates have sought to insulate themselves from attacks by Republicans that they support transgender athletes, or as the right-wing ads claim, allowing "boys" or "biological men" to compete in women's sports.
The shift by U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, who is challenging incumbent Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, locked in a tough re-election battle in right-leaning Ohio, indicates that the two Democrats seemingly believe that Republican attack ads on transgender issues have some salience among voters.
Both men have been attacked for supporting the Equality Act, a sweeping bill to prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ people in employment, housing, public accommodations, credit, lending, jury service, and other aspects of life -- though it is decidedly silent on athletic participation.
Do you know that there was once a secret language for gay men back in the 1950s? Or that gay men used various colored handkerchiefs to express their sexual preferences to others “in the know”? Or that some of our modern-day slang is directly derived from queer culture? How about that the leather scene has been around since the post-World War II era?
Each of the above examples is a part of LGBTQ history -- something of which, sadly, many LGBTQ people are unaware, particularly those from younger generations. But they’ve all been revived in short, two-minute videos created by Grindr, the gay dating and hookup app, as part of an eight-part series called “Daddy Lessons,” launched to coincide with the recognition of October as LGBTQ History Month. New episodes are posted on Tuesdays and Thursdays of each week throughout October.
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
Equality Virginia, the commonwealth’s top LGBTQ organization, is urging its supporters to take some time to get in some last-minute comments on proposed professional regulations that would punish mental health practitioners, counselors, or social workers from attempting to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
The public comment forum for the Board of Medicine’s guidance document will remain open until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
In the past, LGBTQ advocates have introduced bills to ban licensed therapists from subjecting minors to conversion therapy, but all have consistently been killed in subcommittee in both the Republican-led House of Delegates and Senate. So activists began embracing another option: getting Virginia’s licensing boards, which can promulgate their own regulations, without having to seek approval from the General Assembly.
Earlier this year, the Virginia Board of Psychology and the Board of Counseling released guidance that declared subjecting patients to conversion therapy a form of “misconduct” that could carry repercussions for therapists or counselors who engage in it. Both boards also opened up online forums to receive public comments, which are taken into account when a new regulation is proposed.
Of course, with Democrats taking control of the General Assembly starting in January, there may still be an opportunity for a statute explicitly banning the practice on minors. But in the meantime, advocates have focused on ensuring that the regulations take effect — an approach favored by Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant (R-Henrico) instead of an outright ban.
“As a former member of the Board of Medicine, I know the process works to protect patients and hold clinicians accountable by restricting or revoking their license to practice,” Dunnavant said in a statement clarifying her stance on conversion therapy ahead of November’s elections, when she narrowly defeated Del. Debra Rodman (D-Henrico) in a fiercely fought contest. “Bottom line, I condemn [sexual orientation change efforts] and believe the clinicians on our boards are the appropriate experts to regulate clinical licenses.”
Equality Virginia notes that conversion therapy, despite being touted by some conservative groups, actually has very little scientific basis, as it operates from the assumption that being LGBTQ is a mental illness that needs to be cured. The organization has also taken the stance that mental health professionals should provide ethical and affirming care that meets patients’ needs and desired goals, not that aligns with a therapist’s personal moral or religious views.
Additionally, the therapy has been shown to increase feelings of depression, suicidal thoughts, and even suicide attempts among those subjected to it, largely because it capitalizes on a patient’s feelings of shame and societal rejection in an effort to encourage them to commit to the therapy, with the eventual goal being a change in orientation or behavior.
“If these bans pass, engaging in conversion therapy will be grounds for removing of a license to practice psychology, counseling, or social work,” Equality Virginia noted in an email. “By using these public comment forums, you are able to let the boards know that residents of the Commonwealth do not see conversion therapy as an acceptable practice and we expect Virginia to change its standard.”
To submit a comment on the proposed regulation to the Board of Medicine, visit townhall.virginia.gov.
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