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New York Legislator Proposes Anti-Conversion Therapy Law Entitled “PENCE”

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via the University of Washington

New York legislator Patrick Burke has introduced a local law entitled Prevention of Emotional Neglect and Childhood Endangerment, or PENCE for short, which would ban the practice of conversion therapy in Erie County.

This not-so-coincidentally titled bill comes after the election of Donald Trump and his VP Mike Pence, who has publicly endorsed the practice of conversion therapy. During his run for Congress in 2000, Pence wrote on his campaign website, “Resources should be directed toward those institutions which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior.”

Pence’s site also sports the message that Congress should refuse to “recognize homosexual’s [sic] as a ‘discreet [sic] and insular minority’ entitled to the protection of anti-discrimination laws.” He has apparently exhibited no difference in his stance on LGBT issues, and has supported anti-LGBT legislation as recently as 2015.  

The proposed PENCE law is not the only heat the Vice President-elect has received as of late — last week, upon attending a showing of Hamilton, Pence was booed by other audience members and given a message by cast member Brandon Victor Dixon that “the diverse America [is] alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights.” Dixon went on to thank Pence for attending the show, describing it as a “wonderful American story told by a diverse group of men and women of different colors, creeds, and orientations.”

The PENCE law has been criticized by Republican Majority Leader Joseph Lorigo, who opposes conversion therapy but deems the law unnecessary given that Erie County has no history of employing the practice.

However, Burke introduced the law because (1) he believes that Pence will have a larger influence over America than any other vice president has had in the past, and (2) he hopes to raise awareness about and rally support for LGBT issues. In regards to the proposed law, Burke says, “Mike Pence is probably going to have the most power of any vice president in the history of our country and he has openly advocated for conversion therapy. I want that to sink into people. I want them to realize it’s a serious issue of abuse of children flatly, whether they are gay or not, it’s abuse, then you have a man who is going to have enormous power over all of us, who advocates for it.”

The law would cause anyone who practices conversion therapy in the county to face a misdemeanor conviction and a $1,000 fine or up to one year in prison.

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