Hawaii Is the Latest State to Ban Gay ‘Cure’ Therapy

It was another step in the right direction late last week when Hawaii became the twelfth state to pass a ban on gay "cure" therapy for minors. After being passed by the state's House of Representatives earlier this month, SB 270 headed to the state senate for approval. The bill, which prohibits practices that "engage in or attempt to engage in sexual orientation change efforts on a person under eight years of age," was approved by the state's congress and awaits signing by Governor David Ige.

The bill cites the efforts by the American Psychological Association to discern the validity of "cures" for sexual orientation. "The task force concluded that sexual orientation change efforts are unlikely to be successful and involve risk of harm to lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals, including depression, suicidality, loss of sexual feeling, anxiety, shame, negative self-image, and other negative feelings and behaviors," the bill reads.

Related | New California Bill Proposes Fraud Convictions for Gay 'Cure' Therapists

"The legislature further finds that children and adolescents who participate in these types of sexual orientation change efforts, which often use fear-based techniques, are given inaccurate scientific information regarding sexual orientation and gender identity and are also at risk of increased self-stigma and psychological distress."

Hawaii was preceded earlier this month by Maryland, when it became the eleventh state to ban gay cure therapies for minors. Read the full bill in detail, here.