It is time for the state of Virginia to ban the dangerous and discredited practice of conversion therapy. Conversion therapy, by definition, is an intervention that aims to alter or "fix" an individual's same-sex attractions or gender expression. This implies that any sexual orientation or gender expression other than heterosexuality and cisnormativity is somehow inferior, undesirable and unhealthy. The worldwide medical community agrees that this is simply not the case. The majority of reputable medical and psychological organizations both in the US and elsewhere agree that human sexuality and human gender expression is variable, and that such variation is both normal and healthy.

The following list is just a few of the many organizations that have issued statements opposing the practice of conversion therapy:
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Nursing
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists
American Counselling Association
American Group Psychotherapy Association 
American Medical Association 
American Medical Student Association 
American Mental Health Counselors Association
American Psychiatric Association
American Psychoanalytic Association 
American Psychological Association 
American School Counsellor Association 
Association of Christian Counsellors
Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Issues in Counseling 
Australian and New Zealand Professional Association for Transgender Health 
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy 
British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 
British Psychoanalytic Council 
British Psychological Society 
Canadian Association for Social Work Education 
Canadian Association of Social Workers 
Canadian Professional Association for Transgender Health 
Canadian Psychiatric Association 
Clinical Social Work Association 
College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario
College of Sex and Relationship Therapists 
Gay and Lesbian Medical Association
GLADD (The Association of LGBT Doctors and Dentists)
International Federation of Social Workers
National Association for Children’s Behavioral Health 
National Association of School Psychologists 
National Association of Social Workers’ National Committee on LGBT Issues 
National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery 
National Counselling Society 
NHS England 
NHS Scotland 
Pink Therapy Professional 
Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec (Order of social workers and conjugal and family therapists of Quebec)
Ordre professionnel des sexologues du Québec (Professional order of sexologists of Quebec)
Royal College of General Practitioners 
Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 
The Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Addiction Professionals and their Allies
The Association of LGBTQ Psychiatrists 
UK Council for Psychotherapy 
World Professional Association for Transgender Health

Clearly, our doctors, psychologists, and other experts agree that the use of conversion therapy needs to stop. It is time that Virginia takes this important step to protect it's citizens from this harmful and disproven practice.