Republican state senators in Washington blocked a vote Tuesday on a bill that would have banned subjecting LGBT youth to aversion therapy, including ice baths and electric shock. Venice Buhain
has the details:
Bill sponsor Sen. Marko Liias, D-Mukilteo, tried to bring Senate Bill 5870 to the Senate floor for a vote in a procedural move, but Senators declined to continue considering the bill, 22-27.
Opponents of aversion therapy say it has been used often to try to convert gay teenagers to straight.
“I am appalled that the Republican majority killed legislation to protect kids from electric shock, ice baths, and other physical and emotional abuse, simply because they’re gay. We need to end conversion therapy once and for all,” Liias said in a prepared statement.
Appalled is right. Aversion therapy ... conversion therapy ... it's abuse, plain and simple. The fact that GOP lawmakers in Washington would leave minors vulnerable to these misguided "therapies" is indefensible.