June 12, 2012

Parents and Friends of Ex-gays and Gays (PFOX) sent a letter to California Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi and the committee she chairs urging her committee to vote against SB 1172. Senate Bill 1172 would make it illegal for counselors and therapists to provide therapy for minors with unwanted same-sex attractions. PFOX pointed out the hypocrisy of the liberal thinking that asserts “children should be able to legally change their gender but not their sexual orientation.” The PFOX June 12, 2012 letter follows:

Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi
Chair, Business Professions and Consumer Protection Committee
State Capital
Sacramento, California

Dear Ms. Hayashi,

We are Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX), a national non-profit organization helping families with homosexual loved ones and supporting an inclusive environment for the ex-gay community. PFOX conducts public education and outreach to further individual self-determination and respect for all Americans, regardless of their sexual orientation.

We write on behalf of our California members in opposition to SB1172, and ask that you vote against this legislation, which would ban therapy for minors with unwanted same-sex attractions. This bill is opposed by therapy organizations and prevents counseling to children who have been sexually molested and therefore confused about their sexual orientation. Teens in stress need more mental health assistance, not less.

As originally drafted, the bill also tried to outlaw such therapy for adults. Equality California, a major sponsor of the bill, opposes ex-gay equality and civil rights for the ex-gay community. They also assert that children should be able to legally change their gender but not their sexual orientation. Evidently, this discriminatory bill seeks to censor sexual minorities and punish the ex-gay community for being who they are.

The American Psychological Association stated in 2009 that affirmative approaches [homosexual affirming therapy] have not been evaluated for safety and efficacy. See Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation (APA 2009), page 91 athttp://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/therapeutic-response.pdf. Yet no similar ban on gay-affirming therapy or therapy to change one’s gender was offered by the bill’s sponsors.

Phobia of former homosexuals is not the answer. Children in need of medical assistance should not be held hostage to political ideology by a powerful lobby. Please do the right thing by our children’s mental health and vote against SB1172.

Sincerely,

Regina Griggs
Executive Director
PFOX
cc: Committee Members