Chris Christie Signs Ban on "Ex-Gay" Therapy; Christofascists Go Berserk

As noted frequently on this blog, the "ex-gay" myth is critical to the Christofascists' efforts to block gay rights in general and gay marriage in particular because if sexual orientation is immutable and not changeable, then their argument that being gay is a "choice" collapses and their flimsy legal arguments evaporate.  Thankfully, legitimate medical and mental health professionals recognize that the claims of "ex-gay" ministries is to put it politely, bullshit at best and more likely down right harmful.  Now, New Jersey has joined California in banning licensed therapist in that state from subjecting minors to their bogus, witch doctor like therapy regimes.  It goes without saying that the hate merchants and charlatans who promote these programs are beside themselves and the crackpots at Liberty Counsel have vowed to sue New Jersey.  First, these highlights from CNN on Chris Christie's signing the bill banning the practice into law:

New Jersey will become the second state to forbid gay conversion therapy for minors when Gov. Chris Christie signs legislation into law Monday banning the highly controversial practice, CNN has learned.

Gay conversion therapy is an effort championed by people who believe that you can change a person’s sexual orientation through counseling. The American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association and American Psychological Association are just a handful of professional organizations that oppose this practice, saying it is harmful.

New Jersey’s decision to outlaw gay conversion therapy will not only be looked upon as another major step in gay rights, but it will also be viewed through the prism of the 2016 race for the White House.

In explaining his decision to ban gay conversion therapy for minors, Christie is expected to emphasize that while he is wary of the “government limiting parental choice on the care and treatment of their own children,” on this particular issue he sided with the experts. The New Jersey senate passed the legislation in late July, but as with any legislation, it ultimately requires Christie’s final approval.

“The American Psychological Association has found that efforts to change sexual orientations can pose critical health risks including, but not limited to, depression, substance abuse, social withdrawal, decreased self-esteem and suicidal thoughts,” Christie will say in his signing statement, according to an advanced copy provided to CNN. “I believe that exposing children to these health risks without clear evidence of benefits that outweigh these serious risks is not appropriate.”

A Catholic, Christie in the past has stated his opposition to gay conversion therapy and in a June 2011 interview on CNN said he did not think homosexuality is a sin.

“Well, my religion says it's a sin,” Christie said on ‘Piers Morgan Tonight.’ “But for me, I don't. I've always believed that people are born with the predisposition to be homosexual. And so, I think if someone is born that way, it's very difficult to say then that that's a sin. But I understand that my church says that. But for me personally, I don' t look upon someone who is homosexual as a sinner.”

Yep, the spittle must be flying by the bucketful at the offices of the usual hate groups and at the Vatican.  Kudos to Chris Christie.  As noted, the sociopaths at Liberty Counsel - an ongoing blight on the Commonwealth of Virginia -  are big time unhappy and have announced via press release that they are ready to file a lawsuit against the state on New Jersey.  Here is some of the spittle flect drivel from the press release:

If the bill goes into effect, Liberty Counsel will immediately file suit.  . . . A3371 prohibits only one viewpoint regarding change counseling and, therefore, constitutes viewpoint discrimination. No viewpoint-based restriction on private speech has ever been upheld. The Supreme Court ruled that “the First Amendment forbids the government to regulate speech in ways that favor some viewpoints or ideas at the expense of others.”

This bill is so broad that parents would be prohibited from seeking help for their son who developed unwanted same-sex attractions after being molested by the likes of Jerry Sandusky. This law would inflict serious damage to children, parents, and counselors,” said Staver.

The Governor should reject this transparently unconstitutional law. It tramples the fundamental rights of counselors and clients, and it destroys the ability of patients to seek, and counselors to provide, counseling in accordance with their sincere desires and religious beliefs. It also runs roughshod over the fundamental rights of parents.

Memo to Staver: the courts and states regularly override parental religious based decisions which would subject their children to unsafe practices or deprive them of necessary medical care.  This bill does precisely the same thing: it protects minors for  religious based idiocy and extremism that could cause them severe harm.  If anyone is a threat to minors it is Staver and his fellow Christofascists who continue to embrace Bronze Age beliefs that have be refuted by legitimate science.  Inflicting "ex-gay" therapy on minors is nothing less than a form of child abuse.   It should be illegal nationwide.