California Senate committee advances bill to limit reparative therapy

Legislation designed to protect LGBT minors from what critics charge is harmful and ineffective ex-gay therapy, advanced through a California state Senate Committee on Monday.

The measure, California Senate Bill 1172, does not outright ban all ex-gay therapy, but would prohibit anyone under the age of 18 from undergoing sexual orientation change efforts, regardless of a parent’s willingness or desire to authorize such “treatments.”

The bill — authored by State Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Redondo Beach) and sponsored by the LGBT advocacy group, Equality California — would also require prospective patients to sign a consent form that includes the following disclaimer:

“Having a lesbian, gay, or bisexual sexual orientation is not a mental disorder. There is no scientific evidence that any types of therapies are effective in changing a person’s sexual orientation. Sexual orientation change efforts can be harmful.”

“For decades, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people—particularly youth—have suffered psychological abuse by those who are entrusted to care for their emotional and psychological well-being,” said Clarissa Filgioun, Equality California Board President.

“It’s long past time to do everything in our power to put an end to the use of therapy tactics that have no sound scientific basis and that cause lifelong damage,” she said.

A legislative aide to California Democratic Governor Jerry Brown, told LGBTQ Nation that if approved by the state legislature, Brown will almost certainly sign the bill into law.