Petition calling on US to ban trans conversion therapy signed by over 200,000 people
By Josh Haggis
A petition calling on Barack Obama to ban transgender conversion therapy in the US has been signed by over 200,000 people.
After facing rejection from her friends and family and being subjected to sessions with “biased” Christian therapists, Leelah Alcorn was killed after deliberately stepping out into the road, but not before writing a heartbreaking suicide note outlining her struggle – click here to read more.
The petition – called ‘Enact Leelah’s Law to Ban Transgender Conversion Therapy’ – was created in response to Leelah’s suicide note, which blamed her parent’s decision to force her into conversion therapy as one of the reasons for her death.
“Transgender youth have one of the highest suicide rates in the nation. We must not allow therapists to increase those rates with therapy methodologies that have been demonstrated in harming trasngender youth,” say the petition creators.
Meanwhile, ‘It Gets Better’ founder Dan Savage has reacted to the story, saying that Leelah’s “criminally reckless” parents should face criminal charges over their daughter’s death – find out more here.
To sign the petition, click here.
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