THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: California’s assembly has approved a bill prohibiting the use of therapy designed to “cure” homosexuality in teenagers, bringing the state closer to becoming the first to ban the practise in the US.
Gay rights advocates hailed the decision of the Democrat-controlled assembly as a major victory for gay rights. Gay right advocates have long insisted there is no medical foundation to conversion therapy, because homosexuality is not a disorder.
John Perez, a member of the assembly and the first openly gay speaker of California’s lower house said during the debate on Tuesday: “It is inappropriate for anyone, including parents, to subject anybody to dehumanising activity.”
The bill to prohibit children and teenagers from undergoing conversion therapy was passed by a vote of 51 to 21.
Conversion therapy is an attempt to change the sexual orientation of a person, from homosexual or bisexual to heterosexual.
Opponents of the practice claim the therapy can cause depression, and lead to substance abuse and suicide. » | Rose Troup Buchanan | Wednesday, August 29, 2012
