Lawsuit filed over California gay teen therapy law

[William769]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A Christian legal group has filed a lawsuit to overturn a first-of-its-kind California law that prohibits licensed mental health professionals from practicing therapies aimed at making gay and lesbian teenagers straight.

The Sacramento Pacific Legal Institute challenged the law signed Saturday by Gov. Jerry Brown The lawsuit was filed late Monday in U.S. District Court in Sacramento.

The institute filed the suit on behalf of a psychiatrist and a marriage and family therapist who is also a church pastor in San Diego. It also names as a plaintiff Aaron Bitzer, a Culver City man who says he has benefited from the ‘‘reparative’’ therapy.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/2012/10/02/lawsuit-filed-over-california-gay-teen-therapy-law/cU1qDBlJzLaA6oxydqE7GK/story.html

Didn't see that coming.

[Scootaloo]

1. Therapy for what?

Didn't the varied psychiatric and medical associations of America, people backed by science and study, decide like, decades ago that homosexuality is not a disorder?

If it's not a disorder or disease, then there is no need to provide "therapy" for it.

This law does not prohibit consenting adults from seeking such quackery. Just as they can indulge in aromatherapy, reiki, and prayer healing, so too can they seek to have their gay "cured," if they want. However, children - whom the law addresses - are not consenting adults.

Unnecessary therapy on a non-consenting patient IS CALLED ABUSE.

[mike_c]

2. the law interferes with their religious freedom...

...to abuse children.

[William769]

4. As a Christian myself, I agree with your statement.

[Scootaloo]

5. Funny how often "religious freedom" takes that shape, isn't it?

[longship]

6. If it is not a disorder it is unethical to treat it.

I want to see this in court, where expert witnesses can be brought to bear, under rules of evidence. I can barely wait for George Reikers to testify for pray teh gay away crowd. What fun the lawyer handling the cross will have with his Rent-Boy.

Seriously, they don't stand a chance in court and lots of science can be brought to bear on it.

[Scootaloo]

8. "Ethics" has never really featured in quackdom, though

Of course, most quacks these days are careful to couch their bullshit in "soft" terms like "wellness" instead of health, "therapy" instead of treatment, "supplements" instead of medicine, etc.

[get the red out]

3. Christians want to Legalize Torture

That's what the headline should say.

[HappyMe]

7. These morans don't stand a snowball's

chance in hell.

The psychiatrist should lose his licenses to practice.

[HockeyMom]

9. My perspective as the Mom of a Lesbian

Our children have enough problems from bullies in school, subsequent suicides, etc. We don't need anything else to screw up their brains. Let them be who they ARE.

Hell, hell, hell, NO on this PHONEY therapy. GOOD for California. If an ADULT freely wants this "therapy", that is their right. Leave CHILDREN alone.

[hifiguy]

10. Laws against quackery have been upheld for a long, long while.

This one will survive.

ETA: Quackery is the promotion of unproven or fraudulent medical practices. Random House Dictionary describes a "quack" as a "fraudulent or ignorant pretender to medical skill" or "a person who pretends, professionally or publicly, to have skill, knowledge, or qualifications he or she does not possess; a charlatan".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quackery

[Initech]

11. And Jesus said "fuck these assholes - I quit."

[Downwinder]

12. This action may have unintended consequences.

Lawmakers can regulate medical procedures, i.e. MMJ, Abortions.