Public comments dominate council meeting as speakers urge ban on conversion therapy and defend gender-affirming care

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 consensus: “Every major medical and mental health organization in the United States has already issued a statement condemning the use of conversion therapy. It’s banned in 27 states plus D.C. and Puerto Rico in 13 countries.”

Opposing comments also appeared during public comment. Margaret Grama, a long-time resident, said parents should make decisions for children and said she opposed gender-affirming care for minors, repeatedly emphasizing the role of parents and urging that decisions be left to adults.

Public health professionals spoke in favor of access to gender-affirming care. Dr. Teagan Vaughn, a clinical pharmacist and director of gender-affirming care at Equitas Health, delivered statistics and clinical context: “When youth are able to access this life-saving care, it decreases suicidal thoughts by 73 percent,” she told council, and said puberty blockers and related care involve individualized, risk-informed decisions.

Council held the ordinance to a second reading. The clerk read Ordinance 2025-02, described in the agenda as an amendment to Section 511 of the city code to prohibit conversion therapy on minors by mental-health professionals. Assistant city staff told the council an updated redline of the ordinance had been provided in the council packet and staff had no further updates for this second reading; the item will return for a subsequent hearing and vote.

Speakers on both sides urged council to take formal action rather than rely solely on staff statements or pledges. Multiple commenters asked that council adopt policy at the ordinance or resolution level so protections are explicit in city law and not only in press statements.

Council did not take a final vote on the conversion-therapy ordinance at this meeting; the item remains at second reading.