Has our state legislature gone mad?
The state senate of Virginia passed a bill on Tuesday which, if it passes in the lower house of the legislature, would make the commonwealth the 20th state to prohibit so-called LGBTQ conversion therapy for people under the age of 18.
Senate Bill No. 245, introduced by Democratic state Senator Scott Surovell of Rocky Mount earlier this month, would amend Virginia’s statutory law to state that no counselor can lawfully “engage in conversion therapy with a person under 18 years of age.”
“Not only is this practice harmful to our youth developing their gender identity, but from a legal standpoint, conversion therapy is abusive given the mental health repercussions,” Surovell wrote in a statement emailed to Newsweek. “This bill will protect our children from beliefs rooted in bigotry.”
The bill passed by a vote of 21 to 18. All of the senators who voted “nay” on the bill were members of the Republican Party. (continued here (newsweek.com))
If Surovell’s bill passes the House of Delegates, it will become law. Unfortunately, Virginia does not have the only state legislature with a totalitarian agenda. Robert Knight observes that Utah is now following a path beaten by 18 other states.
Thanks to Utah’s benighted legislature this past week, parents in that state are now barred by law from seeking licensed counseling for their children who suffer from gender identity confusion or unwanted same-sex feelings.
The parents are free, of course, to hire counselors who steer the kids into transgenderism or homosexuality — but not the other way around. This is the brave, new America.
So, if a child is molested and develops same-sex attractions or gender dysphoria, parents cannot find credentialed help, just quacks who insist that no one can ever “go straight” or even try. This would be news to actress Anne Heche, or New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s wife, former lesbian activist Chirlane McCray, or many other “ex-gays” and “ex-transgenders” who have transitioned back to natural sexuality. (continued here (washingtontimes.com))
Knight notes that:
Research shows that the vast majority of gender-confused and same-sex-attracted children grow out of it by late adolescence — if they’re allowed. (from here (washingtontimes.com))
So, our state legislature is effectively trying to prevent parents from doing their job, helping their children grow up and getting their heads on straight. Instead, our legislature is promoting the transgender ideology. Before we know it, our legislature will be giving children dangerous hormones and surgically altering their bodies so that they can look like the opposite sex.
Contact your member of the House of Delegates => WHO’S MY LEGISLATOR. Here is the bill: SB 245 Conversion therapy; prohibited by certain health care providers.
Here is what The Family Foundation says about it.
Prohibition Against Talk Therapy – HB 386 (D-Hope) prevents parents from seeking counseling for their child who may be struggling with their sexual identity or is experiencing unwanted same-sex attractions, by prohibiting licensed counselors and therapists from helping them in this way. It passed 5-1 in a subcommittee. An identical bill, SB 245 (D- Surovell), passed the Senate 21-18. Click HERE to read more.
(from here (familyfoundation.org))
Prince William-Manassas Family Alliance 
Tom,
I seem to remember the reasoning for this legislation which began in California is a significant number of children who are counseled commit suicide.
The Old Testament has numerous verses that pertain to parents who love their children should discipline them to prevent their death of their soul.
We have to somehow, in “our new brave America,” come to understand that gay people are different from people who are not gay.
However, in my opinion, it is wrong to pass laws to mandate that parents who love their children and want to seek help for their child be prevented by government laws from doing so.
It is in my opinion the beginning of the return once again of a totalism socialist government instead of the government envisioned by the founders of “our new brave America.”
Once it (government control of children, instead of parents), it opens doors to where ever that ends?
I wonder how this mandated law issue will in time be judged in the Supreme Court to be a violation of Rights of some brave parent who chooses to sue?
Regards and goodwill blogging.
@scatterwisdom
There two questions there: (1) how would the Supreme Court rule and (2) how should the Supreme Court rule. I don’t know is my answer to both questions.
What do I think? I think the majority of the Virginia legislature is trying to force people who disagree with them to practice radically different beliefs. The problem is they are treating this matter as a business regulation issue. Supposedly, only someone who is professionally incompetent” world perform “conversion therapy”. Thus, the legislature is hiding behind its responsibility their right to regulate trade. I probably ought to delve into our State Constitution and see how much latitude it gives them. The U.S. Constitution most certainly gives Congress lots of latitude to exercise its stupidity.
Bottomline: The Virginia legislature is trying to dictate our beliefs, but there is no hard and fast way of proving it.
Tom,
Interesting treating as a business matter.
So what businesare is parenthood counseling their children and will that be the next government legislators mandate a law to forbid them from doing or sayi.ng to theirr children?
Regards and goodwill blogging