{"id":1221,"date":"2012-10-03T10:16:00","date_gmt":"2012-10-03T10:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/calif-gay-therapy-law-erodes-parental-rights-critics-charge\/"},"modified":"2012-10-03T10:16:00","modified_gmt":"2012-10-03T10:16:00","slug":"calif-gay-therapy-law-erodes-parental-rights-critics-charge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2012\/10\/calif-gay-therapy-law-erodes-parental-rights-critics-charge\/","title":{"rendered":"Calif. gay therapy law erodes parental rights, critics charge"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Sacramento, Calif., Oct 3, 2012 \/ 04:16 am (CNA<\/a>).- Pro-family and parental rights\u00a0groups are saying a new California law banning therapy for minors who struggle with same-sex attraction is disrespectful of both personal choice and parents' rights.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cParents have the best interests of their children in mind, and if they determine that particular types of therapies or interventions are needed, that's certainly their right, and this law doesn't respect that,\u201d Ned Dolejsi, director of the California Catholic Conference told CNA Oct. 2.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cThe attack on parental rights is exactly the whole point of the bill, because we don't want to let parents harm their children,\u201d the bill's sponsor Ted Lieu has said.<\/p>\n

\tHe compared reparative therapy to minors' use of tobacco and alcohol, and stated, \u201creparative therapy hurts children, so this bill allows us to stop parents from hurting their children.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tBut Dolejsi asserted that \u201cfor the legislature to step in and assume that they need to protect children from their parents and or therapists is in my opinion arrogant and presumptuous.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tThe bill was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown on Sept. 29. It will come into effect on Jan. 1, 2013.<\/p>\n

\tThe law is broadly worded, and prohibits any therapy \u201cto change behaviors or gender expressions, or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same sex\u201d among minors.<\/p>\n

\tPassage of the law means California minors who have unwished-for homosexual behavior or attraction will be unable to pursue medical avenues to address those issues. The therapies prohibited are much broader than solely \u201cconversion\u201d to heterosexuality, barring even therapy to change homosexual behavior among minors.<\/p>\n

\tThe bill was supported by both gay rights activists and mental health groups, who claim that reparative therapy may increase the risk of depression and suicide.<\/p>\n

\tHowever, Bill May, president of Catholics for the Common Good, is concerned about the law's effect on youths' well-being.<\/p>\n

\t\"This bill not only violates parental rights but the rights of the child to know the truth about true love, true friendship, marriage, and healthy use of human sexuality,\u201d May said.<\/p>\n

\tThe law also raises concerns about religious freedom.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cIt would prohibit Catholic, licensed counselors \u2013 including some priests, nuns and counselors in Catholic schools \u2013 from treating the whole person according to Catholic teaching. In counseling they can only affirm same-sex attraction or gender confusion, or put their licenses in jeopardy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\tGovernor Brown claimed that conversion therapy has \u201cno basis in science or medicine\u201d and \u201cwill now be relegated to the dustbin of quackery,\u201d in a statement after signing the law.<\/p>\n

\tDolejsi added that the California Catholic Conference doesn't \u201chave a position reparative therapy\u201d but emphasized that \u201cthe legislature has banned this for minors to the exclusion of their parents\u2019 desires and wishes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tLegislatures \u201cdon't have the competence to make a decision about which therapies are appropriate,\u201d and that decision should be left to psychiatric professionals, he stated.<\/p>\n

\tA 2009 American Psychiatric Association task force recommended that the appropriate response to those with same-sex attraction involves \u201ctherapist acceptance, support, and understanding of clients \u2026\u00a0 without imposing a specific sexual orientation identity outcome,\u201d and that efforts to change orientation \u201cinvolve some risk of harm.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tThe American Psychiatric Association considered homosexuality to be a mental disease until 1973. A former president of the APA said in a 2012 video interview that within the organization, political stances \u201coverride any scientific results.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tBoth the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality and the Pacific Justice Institute intend to legally challenge the California law on First Amendment grounds.<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

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