IV 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 141 

Expressing the sense of Congress efforts by mental health practitioners to 

change an individual’s sexual orientation and gender identity or expression are dangerous and harmful and should be prohibited from being 

practiced on minors. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 28, 2012 

Ms. SPEIER (for herself, Mr. DEUTCH, and Mr. CICILLINE) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Energy and Commerce 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of Congress efforts by mental health 

practitioners to change an individual’s sexual orientation 

and gender identity or expression are dangerous and 

harmful and should be prohibited from being practiced 

on minors. 

Whereas being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or gender 

nonconforming is not a disorder, disease, illness, deficiency, or shortcoming; 

Whereas the American Psychological Association, American 

Psychiatric Association, National Association of Social 

Workers, American Counseling Association Governing 

Council, and American Psychoanalytic Association have 


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•HCON 141 IH 

not found ‘‘conversion’’ or ‘‘reparative’’ efforts to be effective and have found evidence that they are harmful; 

Whereas the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American 

Counseling Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the 

American School Counselor Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, and the National Association of Social Workers, together representing more 

than 480,000 health and mental health professionals, 

have all taken the position that homosexuality is not a 

mental disorder and thus is not something that needs to 

be or can be ‘‘cured’’; 

Whereas the American Psychological Association’s 2009 resolution on Appropriate Affirmative Responses to Sexual 

Orientation Distress and Change Efforts ‘‘concludes 

there is insufficient evidence to support the use of psychological interventions to change sexual orientation’’; 

Whereas the American Psychiatric Association has opposed 

since 2000 ‘‘any psychiatric treatment, such as ‘reparative’ or conversion therapy, which is based upon the assumption that homosexuality per se is a mental disorder 

or based upon the a priori assumption that a patient 

should change his/her homosexual orientation’’; 

Whereas the American Psychological Association’s Task 

Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual 

Orientation’s systematic review of peer-reviewed journal 

literature on sexual orientation change efforts concluded 

that sexual orientation change efforts can pose critical 

health risks to lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, including confusion, depression, guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, shame, social withdrawal, suicidality, substance 

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esteem and authenticity to others, increased self-hatred, 

hostility and blame toward parents, feelings of anger and 

betrayal, loss of friends and potential romantic partners, 

problems in sexual and emotional intimacy, sexual dysfunction, high-risk sexual behaviors, a feeling of being dehumanized and untrue to self, a loss of faith, and a sense 

of having wasted time and resources; 

Whereas the American Psychological Association issued a resolution on Appropriate Affirmative Responses to Sexual 

Orientation Distress and Change Efforts in 2009 advising parents, guardians, young people, and their families 

‘‘to avoid sexual orientation change efforts that portray 

homosexuality as a mental illness or developmental disorder and to seek psychotherapy, social support, and educational services that provide accurate information on 

sexual orientation and sexuality, increase family and 

school support, and reduce rejection of sexual minority 

youth’’; 

Whereas the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry published an article in 2012 in the Journal of the 

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 

stating: ‘‘Clinicians should be aware that there is no evidence that sexual orientation can be altered through therapy, and that attempts to do so may be harmful. There 

is no empirical evidence adult homosexuality can be prevented if gender nonconforming children are influenced to 

be more gender conforming. Indeed, there is no medically 

valid basis for attempting to prevent homosexuality, 

which is not an illness. On the contrary, such efforts may 

encourage family rejection and undermine self-esteem, 

connectedness and caring, important protective factors 

against suicidal ideation and attempts. Given that there 


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is no evidence that efforts to alter sexual orientation are 

effective, beneficial or necessary, and the possibility that 

they carry the risk of significant harm, such interventions 

are contraindicated.’’; 

Whereas the National Association of Social Workers prepared 

a 1997 policy statement in which it stated: ‘‘Social stigmatization of lesbian, gay and bisexual people is widespread and is a primary motivating factor in leading 

some people to seek sexual orientation changes. Sexual 

orientation conversion therapies assume that homosexual 

orientation is both pathological and freely chosen. No 

data demonstrates that reparative or conversion therapies 

are effective, and, in fact, they may be harmful.’’; 

Whereas the American Counseling Association Governing 

Council issued a position statement in April of 1999 stating: ‘‘We oppose ‘the promotion of ‘‘reparative therapy’’ 

as a ‘‘cure’’ for individuals who are homosexual.’ ’’; 

Whereas the American Psychoanalytic Association updated 

its position statement in June 2012 on attempts to 

change sexual orientation, gender, identity, or gender expression, and in it the association states: ‘‘As with any 

societal prejudice, bias against individuals based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or 

gender expression negatively affects mental health, contributing to an enduring sense of stigma and pervasive 

self-criticism through the internalization of such prejudice. Psychoanalytic technique does not encompass purposeful attempts to ‘convert’, ‘repair’, change or shift an 

individual’s sexual orientation, gender identity or gender 

expression. Such directed efforts are against fundamental 

principles of psychoanalytic treatment and often result in 


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substantial psychological pain by reinforcing damaging 

internalized attitudes.’’; 

Whereas research by Caitlyn Ryan et al. entitled ‘‘Family Rejection as a Predictor of Negative Health Outcomes in 

White and Latino Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults’’ 

published in 2009 demonstrates that minors who experience family rejection based on their sexual orientation 

face especially serious health risks and that such youth 

were 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted 

suicide, 5.9 times more likely to report high levels of depression, and 3.4 times more likely to use illegal drugs 

compared with peers from families that reported no or 

low levels of family rejection; and 

Whereas several States have enacted or are considering legislation and other measures to address these ineffective 

and dangerous efforts: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This resolution may be cited as the ‘‘Stop Harming 

5 Our Kids Resolution’’. 

6 SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING SEXUAL ORI7 ENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY OR EX8 PRESSION CHANGE EFFORTS DIRECTED AT 

9 MINORS. 

10 (a) IN GENERAL.—It is the sense of Congress that 

11 sexual orientation and gender identity or expression 

12 change efforts directed at minors are discredited and inefVerDate Mar 15 2010 23:57 Nov 28, 2012 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HC141.IH HC141

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1 fective, have no legitimate therapeutic purpose, and are 

2 dangerous and harmful. 

3 (b) STATE ENCOURAGEMENT.—Congress encourages 

4 each State to take steps to protect minors from efforts 

5 that promote or promise to change sexual orientation or 

6 gender identity or expression, based on the premise that 

7 homosexuality or transgender identity is a mental illness 

8 or developmental disorder that can or should be cured. 

9 (c) SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY

10 OR EXPRESSION CHANGE EFFORTS DEFINED.—In this 

11 resolution, the term ‘‘sexual orientation and gender iden12 tity or expression change efforts’’ means any practice by 

13 a licensed mental health provider, health care provider, or 

14 counselor that seeks or purports to impose change of an 

15 individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity or ex16 pression. Such term— 

17 (1) includes efforts— 

18 (A) to change behavioral expression of an 

19 individual’s sexual orientation or gender iden20 tity or expression; or 

21 (B) to eliminate or reduce sexual or ro22 mantic attractions or feelings toward individ23 uals of the same sex; but 

24 (2) does not include culturally competent, af25 firmative therapy that— 


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1 (A) provides acceptance, support, and un2 derstanding of an individual’s sexual orienta3 tion, gender identity, or gender expression and 

4 the facilitation of an individual’s coping, social 

5 support, and identity exploration and develop6 ment, including interventions to prevent or ad7 dress unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual prac8 tices; or 

9 (B) provides acceptance, support, or un10 derstanding of an individual’s gender expression 

11 or the facilitation of an individual’s coping, so12 cial support, and identity exploration and devel13 opment. 

Æ 


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