(Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)
It is a sad day for Puerto Rico, and it is a sad day for human rights on the Caribbean island.
Last Thursday, 11 senators decided to turn their backs on children and human rights in Puerto Rico. A new Senate majority proved to be weak and on the wrong side of history, again. Eight senators from the legislative committee reviewing Senate Bill 184 to ban conversation therapy on the island voted against the bill’s report.
Today, thanks to these senators, any mental health professional can freely charge a father for “curing” his son of homosexuality or of a gender identity/expression that does not conform to social standards of “normality.” Although there has been an executive order in Puerto Rico banning conversation therapy since 2018, this order is only applicable to health institutions that have a specific connection with the government. Executive orders state mandatory requirements for the Executive Branch and have the effect of law; however, any governor can revoke them.
Read more in the original article : https://www.washingtonblade.com/2021/05/10/homophobia-wins-in-the-puerto-rico-senate/?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=ea4ade68acc174adaa085d314b7404faa840321c-1621058033-0-Ab1CzN4JLmmCkTrAQ-Zaly6svjNHypoJotKPhyPsA-n6oWEKs1LeQPVGElf2or9dFsoD98DpyGwFXH3MlMFmuPnb-6CTvoTNKCgm8PZ4xEaTrkaaEkPxP-ejwn7Prjb6RXR8gscqlMMGuJeUl7cZlGSDYgqzxvqz-dml0pJAmM_Xflhfw-wnBg1TttMHmQR1EMH_Q4EiA7MgkKn04VK37j2wkN0dc0MiI7A-RVxk28aUFukoHcUXlF1WoI02iqkesIpxGYhp3XhmSdG6T7Jz3AnO1JGyAj8QhpOTd-Wy7TTBZcCBqoIJwoQ_68la4gIzV9cKswO16bf-lJ6M9Y6q111fPsmBlztpaYRtmbcI-5KFQW2kegv_DyNc1jiRgEqOl8KM7eAxEzW9pPDqyIZ8PKds3Rm7Mh_2EsdFcyThqvwpsOp2g85wWCXMHXUjQVGCvJt6WamS9jL1xUsXlsx5bwI7q6XSOMA6Tu1rbM5UgoOD9krZdOruwlUYx8lzYCISUhYaRVpoR4tx34Ne9GWNbLc