Illinois rejects ban on reparative therapy for minors with same-sex attraction
SPRINGFIELD, IL , April 17, 2014 ( LifeSiteNews.com ) – The Illinois House voted last week to reject a bill that would have banned reparative therapy for minors with unwanted same-sex attraction ( SSA ). It is the fifth state to vote down a ban on the practice in recent months, following high profile debates over the issue in California and New Jersey , which both instated bans last year. Christopher Doyle , an ex-gay activist and president of Voice of the Voiceless , said following the vote that he thought the decision was a win for free speech and individual medical rights. “It’s clear that even the most progressive states do not want to pass laws that take away the rights of individuals when the foundation of such legislation is based on lies and misinformation,” Doyle said. “There is not one research study published in the scientific peer-reviewed literature that has studied the outcomes of minors undergoing SOCE [Sexual Orientation Change Effort] therapy – an