Title
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 34 OF THE DULUTH CITY CODE BY ADDING SECTION 34-43 PROHIBITING CONVERSION THERAPY.
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BY PRESIDENT HOBBS AND COUNCILOR ANDERSON:
The city of Duluth does ordain:
Section 1. That Chapter 34 of the Duluth City Code is hereby amended by adding Section 34-43 as follows:
Sec. 34-43. Prohibition of Conversion Therapy
(a) Findings and Purpose.
(1) Conversion therapy is an ineffective and unsafe practice based on the discredited premise that a person's gender identity or sexual orientation is a mental disorder that can be cured or corrected;
(2) The practice of conversion therapy has been found to be dangerous to an individual's mental and physical wellbeing and there is no scientifically valid evidence that supports the practice of conversion therapy; and
(3) The American Psychological Association, The American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics have all been critical of conversion therapy; and
(4) The purpose of this Section is to protect the physical and psychological well-being of minors from the harm caused by conversion therapy.
(b) Definitions. For the purposes of this Section, the following terms shall have the meanings stated below:
(1) Conversion therapy means any practice or treatment by a provider that seeks to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender. Conversion therapy shall not include counseling that provides support and assistance to a person undergoing gender transition, or counseling that provides acceptance, support and understanding of a person or facilitates a person's coping, social support, identity exploration, development, including sexual orientation and gender identity, and neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices, if such counselin...
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