Findings

Congress makes the following findings: (1) Being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or gender nonconforming is not a disorder, disease, illness, deficiency, or shortcoming. (2) The national community of professionals in education, social work, health, mental health, and counseling has determined that there is no scientifically valid evidence that supports the practice of attempting to prevent a person from being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or gender nonconforming. (3) Such professionals have determined that there is no evidence that conversion therapy is effective or that an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity can be changed by conversion therapy. (4) Such professionals have also determined that the potential risks of conversion therapy are not only that it is ineffective, but also that it is substantially dangerous to an individual’s mental and physical health, and has been shown to contribute to depression, self-harm, low self-esteem, family rejection, and suicide. (5) It is in the interest of the Nation to prevent lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and gender nonconforming people and their families from being defrauded by persons seeking to profit by offering this harmful and wholly ineffective therapy.