Lexington poised to become third city in Kentucky to ban conversion therapy for youth

Lexington is poised to become the third city in Kentucky to ban conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth.

The Lexington council voted unanimously during a Tuesday work session to move forward an ordinance prohibiting the practice that has been widely discredited by nearly every major medical group. The ordinance will receive its first reading on April 22 and will likely receive a final vote on May 6.

Covington and Louisville enacted similar local bans last year.

Under the proposed ordinance, any state-certified provider would be prohibited from offering any type of treatment that encourages a patient to change sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission would investigate if there was a complaint.

Ray Sexton, executive director of the human rights commission, has said if a state-certified provider is found guilty of providing conversion therapy to anyone under 18, a hearing officer would determine the punishment. The Human Rights Commission does not have the legal authority to revoke a state-certified license.

The commission can ask for monetary damages, Sexton told the council’s General Government and Social Services Committee during its March meeting. Councilman Fred Brown was the only council member to vote against at the March’s General Government and Social Services Committee meeting.

Craig Cammack, the LGBTQ liaison for Mayor Linda Gorton, has said research shows seven providers in Fayette County practice conversion therapy. Statewide, there are 57 providers, according to Ban Conversion Therapy Kentucky, a group pushing for a statewide ban.

Efforts to ban the practice statewide have stalled in recent years.

Brown voted in favor of the ordinance on Tuesday. Brown said his reservations had to do with how the ordinance would be enforced and if it was needed given licensed medical providers are overseen by licensing boards.

“I just don’t think it’s real good legislation but I can’t oppose it because I don’t believe in conversion therapy,” Brown said.

Councilwoman Amanda Bledsoe questioned whether state licensing boards would be better equipped to deal with rogue state-licensed providers who provide the discredited therapy.

“Is the Human Rights Commission adequately able to decide a licensing decision like that?” Bledsoe said.

Bledsoe also voted in favor of moving the ordinance forward on Tuesday.

Councilman David Kloiber said the local ordinance may help clarify the issue for those licensing boards.

“It’s at the discretion of those licensing boards,” Kloiber said. “What I like about this ordinance is that it gives those licensing boards direction and another avenue.”

Pastors who are not state-licensed counselors would not be covered under the local ban.

Councilwoman Liz Sheehan, who co-sponsored the ordinance, said since the state has failed to act, Lexington should.

“It is a meaningful step that we as the Urban County Council government can take to protect our youth from the outdated and harmful practice known as conversion therapy,” Sheehan said. “The harms of trying to change someone’s gender identity or sexual orientation have been well-documented and denounced by every leading medical and mental health organization.”

Twenty states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico have banned the practice. More than 70 local governments have also banned the therapy. More than three dozen medical organizations, including the American Medical Association, have condemned conversion therapy.