Virginia Passes Series of Pro-LGBT Laws, Introduces Bans on Conversion Therapy

Lawmakers in Virginia voted to approve a number of pro-LGBT laws.

According to the Virginia Mercury, the Virginia Senate voted to ban health professionals, such as counselors and psychologists, from performing conversion therapy on anyone under 18.

In that vote, 18 Republican members of the Virginia Senate voted against the ban on conversion therapy.

“I think if we looked at 95 percent of it, we could all agree on it,” said Sen. Steve Newman, R-Lynchburg. “There has been some activity over the past decade that we’d all want to ban. That would include shock therapy and … some odd camping where they took people to camps to do some odd things.

“But if you happen to be a counselor and happen to be a Christian, you are being told what you can and can’t say.”

In another approved law, the Senate voted to create uniform policies for transgender students attending public schools.

Under the law, school boards would be required to adopt policies and dress codes to prevent bullying and harassment.

In another law, the Senate voted to approve a change that will make it easier for transgender people to change their gender on their birth certificates.

The law requires “an affidavit provided by a health care provider from whom the person has received treatment stating that the person has undergone clinically appropriate treatment for the purpose of gender transition.” The law…