Linn County residents spoke out against conversion therapy

Cedar Rapids, Iowa – Several people spoke out against conversion therapy at the Linn County Board of Supervisors meeting on Wednesday.

The board held a second reading of an ordinance that would prohibit the practice of conversion therapy in unincorporated parts of Linn County. According to the item on the agenda, the term “conversion therapy” refers to any efforts made with minors to change their sexual orientation or gender identity.

At the beginning of the meeting, people from Linn County, including those from Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha, Ely, and Marion, had a chance to say what they thought about the proposal and ask the board to go along with it.

Linn County Supervisor Stacey Walker said that he is not aware of any group in the county that is actively using conversion therapy. According to him, the purpose of this item is to act as a preventative measure.

“If it is a case that we don’t have any organizations doing that then this ordinance won’t affect them. But this ordinance will be in place to protect young people in our community against that kind of trauma in the future,” Walker said.

On Monday, there will be both the last reading of the ordinance and a vote on it.