April 15, 2013

Following is the entire Liberty Counsel Press Release: San Francisco, CA – On Wednesday, April 17, Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, will present oral argument on behalf of children, their parents, and counselors at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco regarding the California ban on change therapy. SB 1172 bans any counseling under any circumstances to minors seeking to diminish or eliminate unwanted same-sex sexual attractions, behavior, or identity. On December 21, 2012, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Pickup v. Brown granted Liberty Counsel’s emergency motion to temporarily block the law from going into effect on January 1, 2013, as scheduled. The argument this week will determine if that law will continue to be blocked. Last week the court, on its own, extended the length of time for argument.

“This is the first time in history that a state has burst into a counseling room and told the counselor what may be said and what the client may hear,” said. Staver. “You can talk about same-sex attractions as long as you affirm them as good, natural, and normal. But under no circumstances may a counselor offer, or a minor receive, counsel to change sexual orientation, same-sex romantic feelings, behavior, or identity.

“A number of California counseling associations objected to a virtually identical version of the law, stating it was an ‘unprecedented regulation of psychotherapy’ and noting that the definition of ‘sexual orientation change efforts’ was vague,” said Staver. “A 2009 American Psychological Association’s Task Force Report admits sexual orientation, behavior, and identity are fluid, and thus capable of change. Yet, SB 1172 bans change therapy under any circumstance,” Staver noted.

“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 said. “This law is politically motivated to interfere with counselors and clients. The law is an unprecedented attempt to regulate what a counselor may say and what a client may hear. It crosses the line and violates the Constitution,” Staver concluded.

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.