FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is banning the use of “conversion therapy” on minors in Kentucky. He signed an executive order Wednesday. The governor calls it a necessary step to protect children from a widely discredited practice that tries to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity through counseling. The governor used executive powers after Republicans repeatedly blocked efforts to prohibit the practice by law. The order also makes it illegal to use state or federal funds for the therapy. The governor’s office says nearly half the states and the District of Columbia prohibit the use of conversion therapy for minors.
