Massachusetts Is Now the 16th State to Ban Conversion Therapy

Effective immediately.

Mikelle Street

Mikelle is the former editorial director of digital for PrideMedia, guiding digital editorial and social across Out, The Advocate, Pride.com, Out Traveler, and Plus. After starting as a freelancer for Out in 2013, he joined the staff as Senior Editor working across print and digital in 2018. In early 2021 he became Out's digital director, marking a pivot to content that centered queer and trans stories and figures, exclusively. In September 2021, he was promoted to editorial director of PrideMedia. He has written cover stories on Ricky Martin, Miss Fame, Nyle DiMarco, Jeremy O. Harris, Law Roach, and Symone.

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Mikelle Street

April 08 2019 7:29 PM EST

May 31 2023 5:17 PM EST

MikelleStreet

Massachusetts has become the latest state to ban the use of conversion therapy on minors. Monday night, Governor Charlie Baker signed a bill into law making the ban on the disproven method effective immediately.

The bill was initially passed in the Massachusetts House in March in an overwhelming 147-8 vote. As written, it prevents all licensed therapists from the practice wherein the focus is changing a person's gender or sexuality. There is no scientific basis for the tactics.

"Ultimately, we all know this bill will ensure that children receive therapy in a healthy, evidence-based, and medically sound manner, not one which fosters an atmosphere of self-hate, prejudice, and intolerance," said Representative Kay Khan, who authored the legislation, at the time of the House voteaccording to WBUR. "Massachusetts has always been a trailblazer in advancing civil rights and eliminating discrimination in healthcare settings for the LGBTQ community. This bill is a necessary extension of these historic commitments." The Senate passed the bill in March. A version of the legislation had passed in 2018 but missed the deadline to have it signed by Baker.

The move makes Massachusetts the 16th state to ban conversion therapy in the nation. It follows states like New York, Connecticut, California, Illinois, and New Mexico. In March, U.S. territory Puerto Rico implemented the ban as well via an executive order by its governor.