GAY TRUTH

The California LGBT Caucus recently introduced a bill that would ban counsellors from providing counselling and adults from receiving counsel regarding unwanted same-sex attraction , behaviour or gender confusion .  AB 2943  would prevent so-called “conversion therapy,” known as Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE), and add it to the list of fraudulent schemes under the states’ Consumer Legal Remedies Act (CLRA). California has already prohibited SOCE ( SB1172 ) involving minors, even with parental consent. AB 2943 has been assigned to the Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection . The bill is set for a committee hearing on April 3. AB 2943  prohibits (1)  advertising  sexual orientation change efforts, (2)  offering to engage in  sexual orientation change efforts, and (3)  engaging in  sexual orientation change efforts. The bill prohibits every individual, whether a pastor, clergy, or licensed therapist, from adv...

The battle over religious freedom has reached a fever pitch in California , where lawmakers are taking a new approach to punishing traditional beliefs about sex and gender. Assembly Bill (AB) 2943 declares acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) status and behaviour to be a matter of science. From that opening premise, the bill proceeds to subject sceptics to the full weight of the State’s anti-fraud and consumer protection regime for “sexual orientation change efforts” ( SOCE ) when “goods and services” are involved. Unlike prior legislation targeting SOCE, sometimes known as reparative or conversion therapy , this bill is not limited to minors or licensed counsellors. It also does not include any religious exemptions for churches or non-profit ministries. On its face, the targeted “goods and services” could include the sale of books on the power of the Gospel to heal sexual brokenness, or conferences addressing the same topics. The Pacific Justice Insti...