By Eric Ayres, The Parkersburg News and Sentinel
WHEELING, W.Va. — The bishop of the Wheeling-Charleston Diocese is concerned with a proposed ordinance that would ban conversion therapy in the city of Wheeling, a spokesman said.
Tim Bishop, spokesman for the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, appeared before Wheeling City Council on Tuesday night after a first reading was heard on an ordinance to amend the city code and insert language that deems conversion therapy unlawful. The Most Rev. Mark Brennan wanted to attend the council meeting in person to speak, but had other pastoral commitments, Bishop said.
Conversion therapy is an emotional or physical therapy to cure or repair a person’s attraction to the same sex or their gender identity and expression with providers claiming therapies can make someone heterosexual or straight, according to WebMD.
Bishop said Brennan has spoken and has written articles about the church’s position on issues such as conversion therapy in the past. Yet he confirmed that this is the first occasion in which the bishop has come forward to speak on legislation being proposed about the issue…
