% MONTH.
% >> A BAN ON SO-CALLED CONVERSION
% THERAPY HAS BEEN LIFTED IN
% WISCONSIN.
% REPUBLICAN MAJORITY MEMBERS ON A
% LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE BLOCKED
% LICENSING RULES BANNING THERAPY
% DESIGNED TO CHANGE THE SEXUAL
% ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY
% OF LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL OR
% TRANSGENDER PEOPLE.
% MARISA WOJCIK HAS MORE.
% >> LAWMAKERS LIFTED THE BAN
% DESPITE CONVERSION THERAPY BEING
% DEEMED HARMFUL, INEFFECTIVE, AND
% NON-EVIDENCE-BASED.%BY THE S
TATE'S EXAMINING BOARD
% OF THERAPISTS AND COUNSELORS.
% >> WHAT MAKES IT SO HARMFUL IS
% THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO CHANGE
% SOMETHING THAT IS NOT
% CHANGEABLE.%>> MATTHEW SHURK
A, CO-FOUNDER OF
% BORN PERFECT, TELLS HIS STORY OF
% CONVERSION THERAPY AS A
% CAUTIONARY TALE.
% >> A LOT OF PARENTS REALLY ARE
% BEING DUPED IN A WAY.
% >> INCLUDING HIS OWN.
% >> THEY WANTED TO SPEAK TO A
% LICENSED PROFESSIONAL WHO COULD
% GUIDE THEM AS PARENTS AND MYSELF
% AS A YOUNG MAN.
% >> IT'S ABOUT PROTECTING
% CONSUMERS FROM HARM SO THAT
% THEY'RE NOT PAYING MONEY AND
% THINKING THAT THEY'RE GETTING A
% LEGITIMATE THERAPY OR TREATMENT,
% AND ACTUALLY WHAT THEY'RE
% GETTING IS SOMETHING THAT HAS NO
% THERAPEUTIC VALUE AND IS
% ACTUALLY HARMFUL.
% >> STARTING WHEN HE WAS 16,
% SHURKA AND HIS FAMILY SPENT FIVE
% YEARS AND $35,000 TO BE TOLD A
% LITANY OF REASONS WHY HE WASN'T
% NORMAL.%>> THE FIRST STEPS I
N MY
% DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT I WAS NOT
% ALLOWED TO SPEAK TO MY MOTHER
% AND TWO SISTERS, WHICH LASTED
% THREE YEARS.
% SOMEONE WHO'S IN A PROFESSIONAL
% SETTING IS JUST LIKE PULLING
% IRRESPONSIBLY THESE DIAGNOSES
% THAT I HAVE TO EXPLAIN OR TRY TO
% RATIONALIZE THAT WHAT I'M
% EXPERIENCING IS NOT REAL.
% >> SURVEY DATA FROM THE TREVOR
% PROJECT FOUND THAT 44% OF LGBTQ
% YOUTH IN WISCONSIN SERIOUSLY
% CONSIDERED SUICIDE IN THE PAST
% YEAR.
% AND THOSE WHO UNDERWENT
% CONVERSION THERAPY, OR WARNED OF
% THE POSSIBILITY, WERE MORE THAN
% TWICE AS LIKELY TO ATTEMPT
% SUICIDE.%>> I THINK THIS IS W
HERE THE
% SUICIDALITY COMES IN, THIS IS
% WHERE THE RUNNING AWAY FROM
% HOME, BECAUSE EVERY LGBT PERSON