Latimer (podium): “This practice is not legal and is not right”
WHITE PLAINS – Westchester County now has a conversion therapy law that makes it illegal to try to change an individual’s sexual orientation.
“This practice is not legal and is not right,” said County Executive George Latimer, who signed the bill on Thursday.
Chris Oldi, chairman of the county’s LGBTQ Advisory Board, said Latimer’s signing of the law on LGBTQ Spirit Day is a “powerful and real symbolic action” to the community.
“Conversion therapy is damaging and can cause long-term psychological and physical effects to those subjected to this practice,” Oldi said. “With this legislation we can ensure that our minors in Westchester County are safe from this practice.”
Mathew Shurka, co-founder of the “Born Perfect” Campaign, said as someone who was subjected to conversion therapy for five years, the new law “means a lot” to him.
