Jackson County is the first county in Missouri to ban conversion therapy. Why did it take so...

The ordinance, effective immediately, prohibits any practice or treatment that seeks to change a minor’s sexual orientation or gender identity. But the road to the new ban has been tumultuous, despite pressure from Kansas City LGBTQ organizations.
After three months of maneuvering, three failed votes and four different versions of the same legislation, the Jackson County Legislature last Monday voted unanimously to become the first county government in Missouri to ban anti-LGBT conversion therapy.

The ordinance, effective immediately, prohibits any practice or treatment that seeks to change a minor’s sexual orientation or gender identity. It specifically exempts “counseling that provides support and assistance to a person undergoing gender transition.”