Mike Pence, the man who will be Vice President should the apocalypse befall us on November 8, is a vocal proponent of gay conversion therapy.
Five states have outlawed this dangerous treatment, including my own home state of Illinois. According to The Southern Poverty Law Center,
“This practice – which can include violent role play, reenactment of past abuses, and exercises involving nudity and intimate touching – has been discredited by virtually all major American medical, psychiatric, psychological and professional counseling organizations.
When the disturbing details are exposed to the light of day, it’s clear that this practice based on junk science is worse than snake oil: Not only does it not work, it’s harmful to LGBT people and their families. People who have undergone conversion therapy have reported increased anxiety, depression, and in some cases, suicidal ideation. It can also strain family relationships, because practitioners frequently blame a parent for their child’s sexual orientation.”
Taxpayer-Funded Gay Conversion Therapy
Pence has no room for facts in his ideology, though. Back in the year 2000, when he was running for Congress, the following appeared on his campaign website:
“Resources should be directed toward those institutions which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior.”
So not only does he support the practice, he supports the use of our tax dollars to pay for it.
Pence is currently the governor of Indiana where he signed a highly controversial “religious freedom” bill in 2015. He later signed a revised version after public outcry.
2016 GOP Platform Includes Gay Conversion Therapy Language
Many have rightly criticized the 2016 GOP Platform for its stance on LGBTQ rights. The Log Cabin Republicans, a group of LGBTQ Republicans, called it,
“the most anti-LGBT platform in the party’s 162-year history.”
Though the platform does not specifically mention conversion therapy, it does state the following:
“We support the right of parents to determine the proper treatment or therapy, for their minor children.”
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, was one of the major players in getting that plank into the platform. The Family Research Council is an SPLC-designated hate group and Perkins himself is a vocal advocate for conversion therapy. If you have any doubts as to the type of therapy Perkins was calling for with that plank, put them to bed right now. The man’s entire life revolves around denying LGBTQ persons their rights.
The evidence is clear: the GOP is in bed with extremists. They would like nothing more than to strip LGBTQ Americans (among many others) of their civil rights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CprC-5XEAGk
