Ohio mayors urge more communities to ban anti-LGBTQ+ conversion therapy

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The mayors of Athens, Westerville and several other Ohio cities that have outlawed anti-LGBTQ+ practices known as "conversion therapy" are calling for more municipalities to do the same.

In a joint letter, the mayors argue healthcare professionals should be banned from engaging in conversion therapy with minors given it increases the risk of depression, anxiety and suicide among LGBTQ+ youth. The techniques falsely claim to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity and have been condemned by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association.

Signed by mayors Shammas Malik of Akron, Steve Patterson of Athens, Meghan George of Lakewood, Wade Kapszukiewicz of Toledo, and Kenneth Wright of Westerville, the letter said passing conversion therapy bans sends a clear message that "every person deserves to be affirmed for who they are."

"We encourage other cities across Ohio to consider similar measures," the letter states. "Banning conversion therapy is about public health, safety, and standing on the side of kindness. It is about creating communities where youth feel supported, families feel safe, and out values of inclusion and respect are reflected in the policies we uphold."

The letter was spearheaded by Brandon West, a 23-year-old Ohioan who championed his home city of Lorain to ban conversion therapy last year and has since begun advocating for Cuyahoga County to do the same. West told NBC4 that mayors Andrew Ginther of Columbus, Jack Bradley of Lorain and Joe Begeny of Reynoldsburg are also reviewing the letter and could soon be adding their signatures.

West's initiative comes after Westerville also voted in February to become the 13th city in Ohio to ban conversion therapy. The 23-year-old said the effort is having a tangible impact, having spoken to youth who said they're more likely to seek mental health care now that it's guaranteed they won't be subjected to conversion therapy.

"I hope that [the letter] would encourage other Ohioan cities to pass their own bans, to see the harms of conversion therapy and to raise awareness that Ohio ranks fifth in the nation for conversion therapy practices," said West. "A lot of people I feel like don't know that conversion therapy is still legal."

Practitioners of conversion therapy often employ "aversive conditioning," which includes the use of electric shock, deprivation of food and liquid, smelling salts and chemical-induced nausea, according to the American Medical Association. A 2021 The Trevor Project survey found that 13% of LGBTQ+ youth nationwide reported being subjected to conversion therapy, with 83% saying it occurred when they were under the age of 18.

Ohio cities are passing conversion therapy ordinances because the Statehouse hasn't advanced a statewide ban. While Sen. Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) reintroduced a bill in February to prohibit the practices in Ohio, the proposal failed to gain support across the legislative aisle and has yet to receive a committee hearing.

Antonio, who was Ohio's first openly gay Statehouse lawmaker, also lost Republican support this year for a bill to ban discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community. Named the "Ohio Fairness Act," the legislation was reintroduced for the 12th time and would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.

Until a statewide ban is enacted, West is continuing his effort. In addition to a Cuyahoga County ordinance that will be introduced this summer, the 23-year-old is advocating for conversion therapy prohibitions in Vermilion and Oberlin.

"I want to raise awareness that, yes, [conversion therapy] exists, it still happens," said West. "If we raise that awareness in Ohio, we can protect the lives of LGBTQ+ youth."