Political Quotes

“When Jerry Spencer told his family that he was gay, his mother told him not to worry about it because they would ``fix it.'' This began 7 years of going through so-called ``conversion therapy'' to try to make him straight. He was forced to put blocks of ice on his hands while he looked at pictures of guys holding hands and would only be given relief from the pain if he pleaded to see a picture of a man and woman holding hands. Other survivors of this quackery were told to strip down and hold their genitalia or snap themselves with a rubber band each time they experienced same-sex attraction. Jerry said that after each therapy session he was ``a little more destroyed.'' These attempts to change LGBT youth are extremely harmful and can cause depression, substance abuse, anxiety, self-destructive behavior, and even suicide. These practices have been rejected by every mainstream mental health association as neither safe nor effective. These efforts frequently increase family rejection, which we know make LGBT youth eight times more likely to report attempting suicide, five times more likely to report high levels of depression, and three times more likely to use illegal drugs. Recognizing these harms, California and New Jersey have passed laws to protect minors. State legislatures in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio are considering similar measures.…”