Civil Rights Commission (CDC) director Ever Padilla Ruiz approved the legislative measure banning conversion therapies, which will go to public hearings next Wednesday and Friday according to the legislative calendar.
“We start from the universal principle that minors have the right to recognition, respect and protection of their dignity. Respect for the dignity of the human person starts with recognizing their existence, autonomy and individuality. Hence, it is considered inviolable. It is considered the basis from which all human rights arise. This measure is aimed at this and therefore we must go for approval, ”said Padilla Ruiz, referring to Senate Law 184 which seeks the Puerto Rico Mental Health Act and the Safety, Welfare and Protection of Minors Act to protect the physical and physical. expanding the mental health of minors by banning the practice of conversion therapy.
Violence is the most serious social emergency in Puerto Rico today, according to Padilla Ruiz. “Hundreds of girls and boys are victims of abuse every year. Protecting them from any kind of abuse or neglect that comes from their parents or those in their care is essential in stopping this devastating spiral. It is necessary to temper the legislation to protect them from violence in all its manifestations and this is the responsibility of the state, ”said the director of the CDC.
The Bill of Rights of the Child (Law No. 338-1998) recognizes the responsibility of the Government of Puerto Rico to promote the maximum social and emotional development of children. It also recognizes that minors have the same rights to life and happiness as adults. It is public policy that childhood and adolescence are understood and cared for as an integral person, with their needs, rights and aspirations. As subjects of the law, children have the right to grow up in harmony based on respect for their human dignity.
“Conversion therapies are interventions that typically target gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people. In the 21st century, the idea remains that homosexuality is a disease, that it can be cured and that it has harmful and destructive consequences. The United Nations has recognized that conversion therapies are torture for the LGBTTIQ community. These conversion therapies have been identified by the vast majority of professional international organizations as ineffective and harmful at the psychosocial level, ”the Commission presented.
The director of the CDC emphasized that Puerto Rico’s diverse sexuality communities have been the target of prejudice, discrimination, marginalization and violence. “These communities have long been the target of political and social invisibility. This scenario clearly creates a panorama of inequalities affecting the lives of these communities. It is impossible to guarantee human rights in the context of exclusion, stigma, prejudice, violence and abuse ”.
He assured that there are “horror stories” of people who have been subjected to these so-called therapies to cure homosexuality and develop heterosexuality. People affected and terrified by economic pressures and / or the rejection of their own families have been exposed to this violence. Through advice, reading Bible passages, group conversations disguised as self-help therapies and with a whole host of tricks, they hurt, sow hatred and homophobia, cause post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, social maladjustment, confusion and even lead people to suicide . “There is no research or scientific evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of conversion therapies.”
“Diversity in sexual orientations, identities and expressions should not hinder a person’s happiness or the recognition and respect of their dignity,” concluded Padilla Ruiz in the presentation presented to the Commission on Community Initiatives, Senate on Mental Health and Addiction under presidency of José Vargas Vidot.