Maine's Republican Repugnant Governor Vetoes Bill To Ban Gay Conversion Therapy

Paul LePage, Maine’s _____-supporting, Republican, because, of course, governor, has vetoed a bill that would have banned gay conversion therapy in the state.

LePage said the bill was “bad public policy” and a “threat to an individual’s religious liberty” though it is a much greater threat to the safety and well-being of LGBT Americans, but, again, Republican.

LePage said:

“Parents have the right to seek counsel and treatment for their children from professionals who do not oppose the parents’ own religious beliefs. We should not prohibit professionals from providing their expertise to those who seek it for their own personal and basic questions such as, ‘How do I deal with these feelings I am experiencing?’”

Except in nearly every case it isn’t the LGBT person seeking help, it’s the bigoted homophobic intolerant idiotic parents of the LGBT person who inflict this on their children.

LePage maintains that there was no evidence that conversion therapy is being practiced in Maine and claims the bill would prevent therapists from having conversations with those who seek advice about their feelings.

Again, it’s the LGBT person seeking conversion therapy.

There are just thirteen states, plus the District of Columbia, that ban conversion therapy, and this week the United Kingdom announced it also planned to ban the practice. A 2018 UCLA study estimated that more than 75,000 LGBT youth will receive conversion therapy from licensed professionals, religious leaders or spiritual advisers before they turn 18 years old in the states that do not ban the practice, which, in the past, used methods such as “inducing nausea, vomiting or paralysis and providing electric shocks.”  

Cuz, you know, gay.

Democratic state representative Ryan Fecteau, who authored the bill, says it’s “ludicrous” that LePage thinks his bill would prevent an LGBT person from talking to a therapist about their sexuality and showed a lack of understanding for the bill and the harm that gay conversion therapies can do:

“I think becoming the first governor in the country to veto such legislation speaks volume about where he places the LGBT community in terms of respect and making sure LGBT youth are protected from a practice that has been proven to harm children more than it provides any sort of assistance.”

Maine’s state legislature will vote this week to override LePage’s veto, but Fecteau said it was unlikely they would have enough votes.

The march goes on, with Maine, under the leadership of a fool taking a giant step backwards.

Newsweek