Legislation prohibiting a form of therapy aimed at changing
a minor's sexual orientation from gay to straight — the first law of its kind
in the nation — was signed by California's governor
 |
Rich Pedroncelli (AP)
State Sen. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance urged lawmakers
to approve his bill to ban a
controversial form of
psychotherapy aimed at making gay people straight
during
a hearing at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif.,
Tuesday, May 8
|
By Patrick Mcgreevy
Los Angeles Times
SACRAMENTO,
Calif. — Gov. Jerry Brown has signed legislation prohibiting a form of therapy
aimed at changing a minor's sexual orientation from gay to straight, the first
law of its kind in the nation, officials said Sunday.
State
Sen. Ted Lieu introduced the measure based on his belief that so-called
conversion therapy is nonscientific and dangerous because in some cases
patients have later committed suicide or suffered severe mental and physical
anguish.
"No
one should stand idly by while children are being psychological(ly) abused, and
anyone who forces a child to try to change their sexual orientation must
understand this is unacceptable," said Lieu, a Democrat. "Gov. Brown
should be commended for protecting LGBT youth by ending this type of
quackery."
Kate
Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said the
bill was
needed so "state-licensed therapists cannot subject young people
to practices that have been universally condemned by mainstream medical experts
and that cause terrible harm."
Republicans
opposed the bill as a state intrusion into the decision of parents about how to
raise their children. The conservative Pacific Justice Institute has said it
will file a lawsuit alleging that the measure violates constitutional protections,
including the free-speech rights of therapists and the right of patients to get
access to information.
"The
privacy concerns are fairly significant," said Matthew McReynolds, a staff
attorney for the institute. "In our view, it's an intrusion beyond what
the government has done before."
From Seattle Times
My teenage son is straight but he feels like a gay lifestyle would suit him better. I've been sending him to a psychologist to help him adjust to the idea of having sex with boys. I wonder if my freedom to do so would be prohibited in California?
ReplyDeleteThat does't make sense. Why would a straight kid want to be gay?
ReplyDeleteMy point is not about gay or straight. It's the absurd interference of government. Being gay has been stricken from the list of mental disorders for (I believe)years. That was done by the private sector - not government. Agree or disagree, one can assume that a practicing psychiatrist wouldn't treat somebody that doesn't have a disorder. So what would be the point of this law?
DeleteTeens like to have a lot of fun. Gays have lots of fun and lots of sex. If he can learn to love boys, he'll have it made. He'll have a lot more sex with a lot more partners than if he were straight. And if he's ugly, nobody cares and they'll have sex with him anyway.
ReplyDeleteThe is ridicules. The California legislature apparently doesn't have more important things to be concerned about? We'll there's another reason to be gay - more political influence. If you're a straight white male, you'll soon be powerless in this society.
ReplyDeleteMore great entertainment from California.
ReplyDeleteWe have to stop the madness sometime. And if it takes legislation to do it - so be it.
ReplyDelete