LGBT news: 'conversion therapy' banned by Obama administration due to harmful psychological effects

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The Obama administration helped signal boost the petition in order to stop parents from subjecting their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) children to conversion therapy practice.

According to the White House, the controversial conversion therapy is dangerous and needs to be permanently stopped.

"We believe that conversion therapy for young people is not in their best interest, and the facts and the evidence supports that," said White House senior adviser Valeria Jarrett, via Reuters. "We would support, and have supported, making it illegal for young people."

Conversion therapy involves the use religious practices and beliefs to "help" gay people align to their right sexual orientation. It was previously believed that homosexuality is a mental disorder and that gay people can be heterosexualized. The report by the federal Substance Abuse and Menal Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released Thursday states that there is no research that provides evidence that homosexuality is a mental disorder.

According to the report by the International Business Times, the petition to ban conversion therapy in the country was spurred by the death of young transgender youth, Leelah Alcorn. The 17-year-old committed suicide after her parents made her go through the controversial therapy. The petition to stop the practice was named after the youth. It is called Leelah's Law.

"When dealing with a sensitive topic such as gender identity or sexual orientation in young people, it is essential that families, educators, caregivers and providers seek the best available information and advice," acting SAMHSA administrator Kana Enomoto said, via the outlet.

The experts believe that practicing conversion therapy on LGBT youth will increase their risk of mental distress and affinity for suicide and substance abuse. The SAMHSA report listed a number of ways to help struggling LGBT youth.

"We recognize that the significant health disparities faced by LGBT youth—in particular, issues related to suicide, depression, substance abuse and homelessness, among many others—often relate to experiences of family rejection due to their sexual orientation, their gender identity or their gender expression," said Elliot Kennedy, expert of LGBT affairs at the federal organization, via Huffington Post.

Additionally, many health organizations have shunned the practice as well because they believe conversion therapy can harm physically and psychologically.

As of Aug. 2015, Five US states including Washington have banned the therapy among LGBT minors and at-risk adults. The SAMHSA report adds that 21 additional states and Congress are having talks of making it illegal.

This was highly welcomed by the LGBT communities across America. Chad Griffin, President of the Human Rights Campaign called the therapy "child abuse."

"It is unsafe junk science that uses fear and shame to tell young people the only way to find love and acceptance is by changing the very nature of who they are," Griffin said in a statement, according to Celeb Cafe's report.