....finally.

California Senate Passes Bill Limiting ‘Ex-Gay’ Therapy

California is poised to become the first state in the nation to take
action against the roundly repudiated practice of reparative therapy. A
bill which would crack down on the archaic practice passed the
California State Senate this afternoon. The bill next needs to pass the
State Legislature before heading to Governor Jerry Brown for his signature.

The bill, SB 1172, passed by a 23-13 vote, and sends a clear message
that reparative therapy is a misguided endeavor that can have serious
side effects. Perhaps most importantly, the bill prevents anyone under
the age of 18 from undergoing reparative therapy under any
circumstances. For those over age 18, the bill requires informed patient
consent before proceeding. The consent form for the procedure will come
directly from the State Department of Mental Health, and will include a
powerful message for prospective patients to take in:

“Having a lesbian, gay, or bisexual 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 have not been shown to be safe or effective
and can, in fact, be harmful. The risks include, but are not limited to,
depression, anxiety, and self-destructive behavior, and suicide.”

Virtually every major medical and mental health organization has
condemned reparative therapy, including the Americans Medical
Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American
Psychiatric Association.

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I used the word Christian in parentheses in the subject line because
there is nothing Christian about reparative therapy for homosexuality,
even though fundamentalist Christians push it.