Senator Murray Reintroduces Conversion Therapy Ban

(Washington, D.C.) – This Pride month, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Senator Corey Booker (D-NJ), alongside Congressman Ted W. Lieu (CA-33), introduced the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act of 2021, which bans for-profit conversion therapy. The practice fraudulently seeks to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity based on discredited science and has been recognized by the national community of professionals in education, social work, health, and counseling as a dangerous and useless practice. Senators Murray has previously introduced federal bans in the 114th, 115th, and 116th Congresses.

“So-called ‘conversion therapy’ is based on the absolutely unacceptable, prejudiced idea that being a member of the LGBTQ community is an affliction requiring medical treatment—and it is deeply dangerous and a fraud, full stop,” said Senator Patty Murray. “I’m proud to join Sen. Booker and Rep. Lieu in introducing this critical bill to help end these sham practices and the harm and pain they cause the LGBTQ community.” 

The following groups have endorsed the legislation: Human Rights Campaign, Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) Action Fund, PFLAG National, American Psychological Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Center for Transgender Equality, National Association of Secondary School Principals, The Trevor Project, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

Senator Murray has been a strong supporter of the Equality Act, which would ensure full federal non-discrimination equality by adding sexual orientation and gender identity to other protected classes, such as race or religion, in existing federal laws. Last year, she helped lead 119 members of Congress in calling on then-President Trump to direct the federal government to remove all regulations, executive orders and agency policies that discriminate against LGBTQ individuals. That same year, Senator Murray cosponsored an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would effectively end President Trump’s transgender service ban, pressed Attorney General Bill Barr to reverse the Justice Department’s stance that transgender people are not protected from workplace discrimination, and introduced a resolution officially recognizing June as LGBTQ Pride Month. 

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