Conversion Therapy Ban Fails in a Missouri County Held by Democrats

A Democratic-led county council in Missouri failed to pass a ban on youth conversion therapy on Monday, disappointing local LGBTQ+ rights advocates.

The Jackson County council met on Monday to consider a bill that would ban the discredited and harmful practice which seeks to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Conversion therapy exists primarily among religious-run programs where the practice has not yet been outlawed.

Lawmakers needed six votes to pass a ban on the abusive practice but only secured five to advance the measure.

With three council members abstaining, the measure received one no vote but died because it did not receive a sufficient number of yes votes. Since seven out of nine seats are held by Democrats, pro-LGBTQ+ activists are angry but remain hopeful that the measure will pass when it’s brought up again.

Chair of the Kansas City LGBTQ Commission, Justice Horn, tells The Advocate that he’s beyond disappointed with Monday’s developments.

“The failure by the Jackson County Legislature to ban conversion therapy will go down as a dark day in our community,” Horn says. “This failure to take on this issue sent shock waves of harm through our local LGBTQ+ community and basically endorsed the practice of those who wish to do us harm.”

Horn noted that unlike other legislative bodies around the country run by Republicans, which have attacked the rights of LGBTQ+ people, the Jackson County council is under Democratic leadership.

“This should’ve been a unanimous vote that was then signed into law by the county executive—especially with the democrats having a super majority on the legislature of seven out of the nine seats.”

Horn believes that the failure of the protective bill to pass shows that council members need help with matters of personal faith as they enact public policy.

“The issue with the elected officials is directly tied to their faith and upbringing. No matter if you’re a Democrat or Republican, people vote with their beliefs. The three democrats who abstained are religious folks but were cowards for doing so. This experience shows me that religious people’s views on our community is how stuff like this happens, no matter the political party,” Horn says.

Supporters are expected to bring up this legislation again next week, hoping to turn some of the abstentions into yes votes.