Conversion therapy is a dangerous practice that harms those who are subjected to it. If the Board of Medicine is looking to first do no harm, then conversion therapy must be banned. There is no scientific basis that conversion therapy is appropriate or effective, but there is science to demonstrate that it is abusive and leads to self-harm, depression, anxiety, and suicide. Conversion therapy is traumatizing and those who practice this work to shame people into changing their identity. Please ban this barbaric practice in Virginia.
Sincerely,
Amanda Pohl