View this email in your browser ([link removed])
It’s a sad day at the Secular Coalition for America. Our long-time supporter, adviser, board member, mentor, and friend Woody Kaplan lost his battle with cancer. He was also active with and a supporter of American Atheists, the ACLU, the American Humanist Association, and several other civil liberties groups. Woody knew many members of Congress and had the ability to discuss secular issues with them regardless of their own religious beliefs. You can read more about my friend Woody here ([link removed]) if you did not see our email yesterday.

__________________________
Conversion therapy is not at the top of the list of church-state separation issues but it is one that usually results from intolerant religious beliefs about the LGBTQ population, and one that Congress is addressing. The practice of attempting to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity through various forms of “therapy” has been discredited by every major mental health organization as one that does not work, can do harm to the subject, and attempts to cure a disorder or mental illness that does not exist. Conversion therapy is based on fake science and we oppose fake science.

Twenty-one states have banned the use of this practice on minors with legislation that requires any licensed therapist who performs conversion therapy to lose their license. Unfortunately not everyone who claims to be able to “convert” someone is a licensed therapist or living in one of those 21 states. Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) have introduced legislation,the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act ([link removed]) , that approaches the problem from a different angle, one that works nationally. Their bills use the fraudulent aspect of conversion therapy, that fact that it just doesn’t work, to address it as a fraudulent business practice that may involve false advertising. The bills direct the Federal Trade Commission to address it as such.

“Numerous major medical organizations have concluded that the practice has no validity and is based entirely on fake science,” said Congressman Lieu. “I’m pleased that many states have joined our movement and enacted conversion therapy bans. Now it’s time to end this scam once and for all and pass a federal ban.”

Please use our Action Alert ([link removed]) to let your legislators know you support legislation to ban conversion therapy.

I don’t usually have room to put links to interesting articles in here but this one is too on-message not to: Why America’s Secularization Is Good For American Democracy ([link removed]) . One takeaway: “A healthy democracy requires active participation in the very enterprise of self-governance. On that front, atheists and agnostics stand out.” It also looks at tolerance and critical thinking as important to a functioning democracy, and what groups score high. Spoiler: we do.


**
------------------------------------------------------------

Scott MacConomy, Director of Policy ad Government Affairs at the Secular Coalition for America, wears a blue suit and stands with his arms crossed over his chest in front of the United States Capitol Building.

Your advocate,

Scott MacConomy
Director of Policy and Government Affairs
Secular Coalition for America
Did someone forward this to you? You can sign up at secular.org ([link removed]) with your email and zip code.

The Secular Coalition for America works every day to defend the separation of religion and government and to fight anti-democratic ideologies like Christian nationalism. Your support for this work is vital.

Donate to protect equal rights for nonreligious Americans! ([link removed])

P.S. Please consider leaving a legacy gift to the Secular Coalition for America ([link removed]) . The protection of our secular values requires eternal vigilance.

============================================================

** Facebook ([link removed])
** Twitter ([link removed])
** Instagram ([link removed])
** Website ([link removed])

Copyright © 2023 Secular Coalition for America, All rights reserved.
Contributions to the Secular Coalition for America are not tax-deductible; they support our effective, citizen-based advocacy and lobbying efforts. Tax-deductible donations, including from Donor Advised Funds and IRA Rollovers, can be made to the Secular Coalition for America Education Fund.



You are receiving this email because you requested to receive updates from the Secular Coalition for America.



If you have a Facebook account, consider creating a Facebook donation campaign to help raise money for our cause: [link removed]

Our mailing address is:
Secular Coalition for America
1012 14th St, NW
Suite 205
Washington, DC xxxxxx
USA
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])
.