Some KC residents hurt by Johnathan Duncan’s vote for repealing conversion therapy ban
When Aleesa Lennon learned the City Council repealed a ban on conversion therapy last week, she was heartbroken.
As a former social worker who supported LGBTQ individuals facing homelessness, Lennon sees the City Council’s vote as a damaging move to that community.
She said she was particularly hurt by 6th District Councilmember Johnathan Duncan’s vote in favor of repealing the ban.
“It’s really disheartening to see him do that,” Lennon said, noting LGBTQ youth face homelessness at a higher rate than their peers. “Especially because part of his platform that he ran on is being supportive to LGBTQ rights.”
Many others felt the same way. Duncan, who represents the 6th District, has faced strong backlash after he voted in favor of repealing the city’s ban on conversion therapy, a scientifically discredited practice of attempting to change a gay or transgender person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
The vote allows licensed professionals to perform conversion therapy, also known as reparative therapy, on minors in Kansas City for the first time since 2019.
Duncan said on Tuesday that his vote was not supportive of conversion therapy, but an effort to protect the city from losing millions of dollars in the courtroom. That’s because the city is facing lawsuits that are now likely going to win against the city after a U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down such bans.
He said he now plans to do work with LGBTQ leaders to find a way to reinstate some sort of ban on conversion therapy.
“I think it could have been done a different way,” Duncan said.
Conversion therapy vote and backlash
The City Council’s vote came as the Missouri Attorney General’s Office is suing the city on behalf of a group of Christian counselors. The case against the city was bolstered by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in March that found a similar ban in Colorado is unconstitutional for limiting free speech. It also likely made the city’s ordinance unenforceable.
The council members narrowly passed the ordinance with a 7-5 vote, with some voting against the measure as a form of protest. Meanwhile, Duncan’s vote was seen by some as a deciding vote. If he had voted against it, it would have failed with a tied 6-6 vote.
Social media users flooded Duncan’s posts with anger and criticism. On Monday, Duncan acknowledged the backlash and admitted he “made the wrong decision.”
For some, that still wasn’t enough. Several of his followers suggested his acknowledgement was not an apology.
“You’re not fighting with us if you’re blatantly voting against our right to exist,” local drag queen Sarah Tonin said in a comment on Instagram.
However, others appeared to appreciate his statement. Lennon said the episode shows that politicians are people too. She also commended Duncan for admitting he was wrong.
But she said Duncan needs to prove to his constituents that he is genuine.
“I want to see through his actions over a period of time that he really does support everyone in the LGBTQ community,” Lennon said.
What’s next
Looking back, Duncan said he thinks the city should have considered amending the ban rather than repealing it completely. He said he wants to work with local LGBTQ leaders to craft a new version of the ban that narrowly defines conversion therapy so it can hold up to legal challenges.
He also wants to add ways for residents to seek civil lawsuits against organizations that practice conversion therapy so they can claim damages. Colorado enacted a law like that in response to the court ruling.
Those kinds of steps may have spared the backlash.
Duncan said the anger toward him is part of a larger issue where the LGBTQ community feels attacked by federal and state policies — and now the city. He said the City Council rushed the ordinance without consulting LGBTQ leaders and that resulted in them feeling left out and betrayed.
“Whatever was done should have been done with the buy-in of the community, and that didn’t happen,” he said.
