According to CA Senators, Stopping Religious LGBT Counseling is a Matter of Public Safety

CA legislature has lost its marbles. They do not care about violating the people’s First Amendment rights and go as far as to claim that it has to be done due to a matter of “public safety” to protect people who identifies as LGBTQ from the “harmful” speech of pastors and counselors. According to a Press Release by California Family Council,”the comments came during a debate several weeks ago in the Senate Judiciary Committee over a resolution condemning any attempt to help people with unwanted same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria, or preaching that would “stigmatize” LGBTQ identities or sexual behavior.
The shocking statements were made as Assemblyman Evan Low (D-San Jose), LGBT Caucus member, and the Executive Director of Equality California Rick Zbur presented Assembly Concurrent Resolution 99, which targets Biblical counseling offered by pastors and counselors. Zbur blamed the church for the high rates of depression and suicide among those identifying as LGBTQ.
“LGBTQ people are too often told there is something wrong with them and us. And the practice of conversion therapy sends that message loud and clear, and results in psychological abuse and damage that can literally cost lives,” Zbur said at the hearing. “Let me be clear. There is nothing wrong with me.”
ACR 99, largely approved with a party-line vote in the Assembly and Senate, broadly defines “conversion therapy” as “practices or therapies that attempt to create a change in a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.” Only Assembly Republicans Chad Mayes and Jordan Cunningham bucked their party by voting yes, while Democrat Assembly members James Ramos and Tim Grayson bucked their party as well by refusing to vote on the resolution.
Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) said stopping conversion therapy, she labeled “harmful” and “ineffective,” didn’t violate freedom of speech rights, but simply regulated “unprofessional conduct.”
Gonzalez concluded her remarks, saying, “I hope overall we don’t have to continue these discussions and we can formally have conversion therapy, in my opinion, completely out of our wheelhouse here in California. This is what we believe and I believe really California values.”” (To read the full Press release, visit californiafamily.org)

 

Según Senadores de CA, Detener la Consejeria Religiosa al LGBT es Cuestión de Seguridad Pública

La legislature de California se ha vuelto loca. No les interesa violar los derechos del pueblo otorgados en la Primera Enmienda, e incluso alegan que necesita hacerse por cuestión de “seguridad pública” para proteger a quienes se identifican como LGBTQ del discurso “dañino” de pastores y consejeros. Según un Comunicado de Prensa del California Family Council, ”los comentarios surgieron durante un debate semanas atrás en el Comité Judicial de Senado sobre una resolución condenando cualquier intento por ayudar a la gente con atracción no deseada al mismo sexo o disforia de género, o predicaciones que “estigmaticen” identidades LGBTQ o comportamiento sexual.
Las impactantes declaraciones fueron hechas por el Asambleista Evan Low (D-San Jose), miembro del Grupo LGBT, y por el Director Ejecutivo de Equality California, Rick Zbur quien presentó la Resolución Concurrente de la Asamblea 99, la cual ataca la consejeria Biblica ofrecida por pastores y consejeros. Zbur culpó a la iglesia por los altos indices de depression y suicidios entre quienes se identifican como LGBTQ.
“A la gente LGBTQ seguido se les dice que hay algo mal con ellos y nosotros. La práctica de terapia de conversion envía un mensaje claro y fuerte que resulta en abuso y daño psicológico que literalmente puede costar vidas,” dijo Zbur en la audiencia. “Déjenme ser claro. No hay nada mal conmigo.”
ACR 99, aprobada ampliamente con un voto lineal de Partido en la Asamblea y el Senado, define la “terapia de conversion” como “practicas o terapias que intentan cambiar la orientación sexual o identidad de género de una persona. Solo los Asambleistas Republicanos Chad Mayes y Jordan Cunningham resistieron a su partido votando si, mientras que los Asambleistas Democratas James Ramos y Tim Grayson resistieron a su Partido rehusandose a votar por la resolución.
La Senadora Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) dijo que detener la terapia de conversion, la cual etiquetó como “dañina” e “inefectiva,” no viola los derechos de libertad de expression, sino que simplemente regula una “conducta antiprofesional.”
Gonzalez concluyó sus observaciones diciendo, “espero que en general no tengamos que continuar estas discusiones y que formalmente podamos tener la terapia de conversion, en mi opinion, completamente fuera de nuestra casa aqui en California. Esto es lo que creemos, y creo que es lo que California realmente valora.”” (Para leer el comunicado de prensa completo, visite californiafamily.org)