[Lnc-business] Resolution Condemning Conversion Therapies

[Jeff Lyons]

John,




Thanks for the edits.  It is indeed an improvement and I appreciate the effort.  I rearranged the order of couple clauses for clarity / readability in the fourth and sixth paragraphs.  Here's a final draft:






"WHEREAS, the Libertarian Party asserts that all individuals have the right to exercise sole dominion over their own lives, and have the right to live in whatever manner they choose, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal right of others to live in whatever manner they choose; 







WHEREAS, Conversion Therapy for sexual orientation is now considered unethical by The American Psychiatric Association, The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Psychological Association; 







WHEREAS, Conversion Therapy has been experimented with in the past as a form of punishment for homosexuality, and there has been no evidence whatsoever that conversion therapy can successfully alter the gender identity or sexual orientation of unwilling participants; 







WHEREAS, the U.S. Court of Appeals in the 3rd and 9th Circuits have both upheld the Ban on Conversion Therapy for Minors and has upheld the decision of a lower court in New Jersey where a 12-person jury unanimously declared it "Consumer Fraud", and the Supreme Court of the United States has declined to review any appeal of those decisions;







WHEREAS, children are often subjected to conversion therapy against their will by loving parents whom are unaware that the methods used in conversion therapy are extremely forceful and abusive, often utilizing psychological torture, physical punishment, starvation, aversive treatments, and public shaming or embarrassing a child whenever they display undesired behaviors, and that conversion therapy has been shown to result in suicide attempts by 20% of these patients: a five-fold increase in risk of suicide attempts compared to other teens; 









WHEREAS, the Libertarian party holds that parents and/or other guardians have the right to raise their children according to their own standards and beliefs provided that the rights of children to be free from abuse and neglect are also protected; 







WHEREAS, the Libertarian Party opposes the use of torture and other cruel and unusual punishments, without exception;







THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, Conversion therapy, also called "reparative therapy," "reorientation therapy," or "ex-gay therapy" constitutes consumer fraud, forceful abuse, and torture. All of which the Libertarian Party vehemently opposes. 







FURTHER, BE IT RESOLVED, the Libertarian Party opposes subjecting unwilling participants through force or coercion, especially children, to conversion therapy treatment or other forms of counseling expressly designed to alter their gender identity, sexual orientation, or hormonal balance."







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On Thu, Apr 11, 2019 at 12:49 PM -0400, "John Phillips" <john.phillips at lp.org> wrote:










I agree with Mr Lyons.  My wording changes were for the most part organizational, not substantive.  Where they are substantive it is because I thought the statement needed to be stronger.  Conversion therapy is torture plain and simple. Something the LP has long stood against.  
So here is my proposed revision.  Not married to it if people like the original better. Or some variation.
"WHEREAS, the Libertarian Party asserts that all individuals have the right to exercise sole dominion over their own lives, and have the right to live in whatever manner they choose, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal right of others to live in whatever manner they choose; 
WHEREAS, Conversion therapy for sexual orientation is now considered unethical by The American Psychiatric Association, The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Psychological Association; 
WHEREAS, conversion therapy has been experimented with in the past as a form of punishment for homosexuality, and there has been no evidence whatsoever that conversion therapy can successfully alter the gender identity or sexual orientation of unwilling participants; 
WHEREAS, the U.S. Court of Appeals in the 3rd and 9th Circuits  have both upheld the Ban on Conversion Therapy for Minors, the Supreme Court of the United States has declined to review those decisions, and  has upheld the decision of a lower court in New Jersey where a 12-person jury unanimously declared it "Consumer Fraud";
WHEREAS, children are often subjected to conversion therapy against their will by loving parents whom are unaware that the methods used in conversion therapy are extremely forceful and abusive, often utilizing psychological torture, physical punishment, starvation, aversive treatments, and public shaming or embarrassing a child whenever they display undesired behaviors, and that conversion therapy has been shown to result in suicide attempts by 20% of these patients: a five-fold increase in risk of suicide attempts compared to other teens; 

WHEREAS, the Libertarian party holds that provided that the rights of children to be free from abuse and neglect are also protected,  parents and/or other guardians have the right to raise their children according to their own standards and beliefs; 
Whereas, the Libertarian Party opposes the use of torture and other cruel and unusual punishments, without exception;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, Conversion therapy, also called "reparative therapy," "reorientation therapy," or "ex-gay therapy" constitutes consumer fraud, forceful abuse, and torture.  All of which the Libertarian Party opposes. 
FURTHER, BE IT RESOLVED, the Libertarian Party opposes subjecting unwilling participants through force or coercion, especially children, to conversion therapy treatment or other forms of counseling expressly designed to alter their gender identity, sexual orientation, or hormonal balance."
John Phillips
Libertarian National Committee Region 6 Representative
Cell 217-412-5973