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Public comments dominate council meeting as speakers urge ban on conversion therapy and defend gender-affirming care
Summary
City council heard several public commenters urging passage of a municipal ban on conversion therapy for minors and others urging protection of gender-affirming medical care; the council held a second reading of a conversion-therapy ordinance.
At its Feb. 4 meeting, Westerville City Council heard multiple public comments focused on two related issues: a proposed city ordinance to ban conversion therapy for minors and local protections for gender-affirming medical care.
Several speakers urged council to adopt a conversion-therapy ban. “Conversion therapy is no better than bloodletting or the use of leeches as therapeutic practice,” said Mary Jean Boatler, a retired Presbyterian pastor, urging passage of a ban to protect LGBTQIA+ youth. A second speaker, identified in the record as Valerie, cited national statistics and medical…
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