Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Blocks California Law Banning Ex-‘Gay’ Change Therapy

Janet Boynes, who abandoned the lesbian lifestyle, is one of thousands of men and women who have overcome homosexuality. In 2012, LGBT advocates showed their intolerance by pushing for laws that ban ex-gay change therapy for minors.

From the website of NARTH (National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality):

Emergency Court Injunction Halts SB 1172!

December 26, 2012m NARTH.com

NARTH and several of our organization’s clinicians who are represented by Liberty Counsel received an early Christmas present late Friday when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the California ban on change therapy (SB 1172) and granted an injunction pending our appeal. The law, scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2013, would have prevented our young clients from continuing counseling to diminish or eliminate unwanted same-sex sexual attractions, behavior or identity.

NARTH has been fighting the California legislative efforts to deny families the right to seek therapy for their children experiencing unwanted homosexual attractions for almost a year. It began with a month’s long opposition to a bill introduced by state Senator Ted Lieu  that went through several committee hearings, a number of amendments and changes by the legislature, and finally passage through both houses of the state legislature. NARTH sent a delegation to testify in those hearings and spent many hours contacting legislators explaining why we believe the bill would be both harmful and unconstitutional.

Once the bill was passed, NARTH, the American Association of Christian Counselors, and several individual therapists and several families sought the help of our friends at Liberty Counsel to represent us in legal efforts to overturn the legislation.

“The minors we represent and their families are thrilled about the injunction.  They are eager to continue their counseling in the new year,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel.

An emergency injunction, putting a hold on a new state law pending a decision on its constitutionality, is only granted in extraordinary situations when the court believes an appeal has a likelihood of success. While we have many months and perhaps even years of legal battles in front of us, we are very grateful to Liberty Counsel and our NARTH partners for standing by us in this expensive and exhaustive effort to preserve client rights.

_______________________________________

Here is a related release from NARTH’s legal representative, Liberty Counsel:

December 21, 2012

Ninth Circut Court of Appeals Blocks California’s Ban on Change Therapy

www.LC.org

San Francisco, CA – Today, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the California ban on change therapy (SB 1172) from going into effect when it granted an injunction pending the appeal in Pickup v. Brown. The law was scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2013, and would have banned any counseling to minors seeking to diminish or eliminate unwanted same-sex sexual attractions, behavior or identity.

“The minors we represent have not and do not want to act on same-sex attractions, nor do they want to engage in such behavior. They are greatly benefiting from counseling,” Staver told the court. “These minors have struggled with same-sex attraction and have been able to reduce or eliminate the stress and conflict in their lives by receiving counseling that best aligns with their religious and moral values,” said Staver.

“Without this emergency injunction, the State of California would essentially barge into the private therapy rooms of victimized young people and tell them that their confusion caused by the likes of a Jerry Sandusky abuser is normal and they should pursue their unwanted same-sex sexual attractions and behavior,” Staver continued.

“This law is politically motivated to interfere with counselors and clients. Liberty Counsel is thankful that the Ninth Circuit blocked the law from going into effect. This law is an astounding overreach by the government into the realm of counseling and would have caused irreparable harm,” concluded Staver.

Liberty Counsel filed the lawsuit challenging the new law on October 4 on behalf of several parents and their children who are receiving and benefiting from such counseling; several licensed counselors who provide such counsel; the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH); and the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), an organization with about 50,000 professional counseling members. When the federal district judge in California failed to block the law, Liberty Counsel filed an appeal with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989 by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.