File #: Res 1491-2012    Version: * Name: Declaring the practice of “curative therapy,” also known as “reparative” or “conversion” therapy, or any attempt to change, alter, or “correct” a person’s sexual orientation, to be unethical.
Type: Resolution Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on Mental Health, Developmental Disability, Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Disability Services
On agenda: 9/12/2012
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution calling on the American Psychological and American Psychiatric Associations to immediately pass resolutions declaring the practice of “curative therapy,” also known as “reparative” or “conversion” therapy, or any attempt to change, alter, or “correct” a person’s sexual orientation, to be unethical.
Sponsors: Daniel Dromm , Maria Del Carmen Arroyo, Gale A. Brewer, Margaret S. Chin, Letitia James, Brad S. Lander, James G. Van Bramer, Ydanis A. Rodriguez
Council Member Sponsors: 8
Res. No. 1491
 
Resolution calling on the American Psychological and American Psychiatric Associations to immediately pass resolutions declaring the practice of "curative therapy," also known as "reparative" or "conversion" therapy, or any attempt to change, alter, or "correct" a person's sexual orientation, to be unethical.
 
 
By Council Members Dromm, Arroyo, Brewer, Chin, James, Lander, Van Bramer and Rodriguez   
 
 
Whereas, The Williams Institute recently estimated that 3.5%  of the adults in the United States identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, and  more than 19 million people in the United States have had a same-sex sexual experience; and
Whereas, The American Psychiatric Association began removing homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ("DSM") in 1973 and completely removed homosexuality from the DSM in 1986; and
Whereas, The World Health Organization removed homosexuality from the International Classification of Diseases in 1990; and
Whereas, Despite the fact that homosexuality is not an illness and therefore cannot be cured, certain practitioners have nonetheless attempted to "cure" homosexuality using a variety of techniques, many of which are often performed on children; and
Whereas, Both the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics oppose the use of so-called reparative or conversion therapy; and
Whereas, The Pan American Health Organization has found that reparative therapy contributes to the stigmatization of homosexuality, which leads to bullying and trauma, and in May 2012 condemned such treatment as a "a serious threat to the health and well-being-even the lives-of affected people"; and
Whereas, The American Psychological Association passed a resolution in 2009 stating that the practice of curative therapy can cause depression and suicide attempts; and
Whereas, In May 2012, the California State Senate passed a bill banning so-called curative therapy for any patient under 18 years of age; and
Whereas, Health care professionals who participate in such discredited therapies should be subject to sanctions for violating the ethics and standards of their professions; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the American Psychological and American Psychiatric Associations to immediately pass resolutions declaring the practice of "curative therapy," also known as "reparative" or "conversion" therapy, or any attempt to change, alter, or "correct" a person's sexual orientation, to be unethical.
 
DMB
LS# 3276
7/26/12