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The Wheeling City Council on Wednesday voted 4-3 to ban conversion therapy — the practice of attempting to change a person’s sexual orientation to from homosexual or bisexual to heterosexual or gender identity from transgender to cisgender — during its afternoon meeting.
Mayor Glenn Elliott, Vice-Mayor Chad Thalman, Councilman Ty Thorngate and Councilwoman Rosemary Ketchum voted for the ban, with Councilmen Ben Seidler, Dave Palmer and Jerry Sklavounakis voting against it.
The ban ordinance had been hotly debated, with strong opinions on both sides. Those supporting the ban, including The Rev. Erica Hartley, pastor of Vance Memorial Presbyterian Church, believe that the practice is abusive and harmful to members of the LGBTQ community. Those opposing the ban, including the Most Rev. Mark Brennan, Bishop of the Wheeling-Charleston Diocese, believe that the ban interferes with parents’ rights.
Return to theintelligencer.net later today for more on this developing story.