9th Circuit Stays California Ban on "Ex-Gay" Therapy During Appeal

As regular readers know, there are countless lies and untruths that the Christofascists and the professional Christian crowd disseminate about LGBT individuals.  But one of the most sick and cruel lies is the continued effort to keep alive the "ex-gay" myth which is used to (i) prey on religiously tormented gays and their parents who - often caring more about themselves than the welfare of their children - seek a "cure" for homosexuality, and (ii) try to convince ignorant politicians that gays need no legal protection since they chose to be gay.  Never mind that no "cure" for homosexuality exists and that every legitimate medical and medical association condemns "ex-gay" therapy, also known as reparative therapy.  in an effort to stop this form of child abuse, the state of California passed legislation that bars unscrupulous therapist form subjecting minors to this witch doctor like therapy.  Not surprisingly, the Christofacists have challenged the law in litigation now on appeal to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.  The Advocate looks at the appeal and the temporary stay of the law's effective date.  Here are highlights:

A federal appeals court ordered a hold on implementation of a California law that would have banned so-called ex-gay therapy on minors on Friday, reports CNN. The law, signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in September, was the first of its kind in the nation to prohibit licensed therapists from using the scientifically discredited practice that aims to change a person's sexual orientation from gay to straight. The law would have gone into effect January 1. 

The three-judge panel from the Ninth Circuit Court Of Appeals ordered an injunction Friday, stopping the law from taking effect until the case can be heard in future court hearings. A California district court ruling earlier this month exempted three therapists from adhering to the law, but allowed the law to move forward uninhibited. This ruling goes against that decision by a lower court. 

The California Attorney General's office, which supports the legislation, said it will fight to uphold the law.  

Liberty Counsel, a right-wing organization and party to the suit challenging the law, was elated with the injunction.  This law is an astounding overreach by the government into the realm of counseling and would have caused irreparable harm," said Liberty Counsel Chairman Mat Staver.

"Ex-gay therapy," sometimes called reparative therapy by its proponents, has been condemned by every major medical and psychological organization in the country as harmful and dangerous. "There has been no scientifically adequate research that therapy aimed at changing sexual orientation (sometimes called reparative or conversion therapy) is safe or effective," said the American Psychological Association. 

One can only hope that the 9th Circuit upholds the law and ends this form of insidious child abuse in California.