FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
571-379-4546
Virginia Assembly Puts Client and Parent
Rights Over Politics By Rejecting HB 1135
Voice of the Voiceless
Urges Maryland Delegates to Reject Politically Motivated HB 91
Bristow, VA --
Today, Voice of the Voiceless applauded the Virginia General Assembly for
rejecting HB 1135, which would take away the rights of parents and their minor
children to seek out counseling from a licensed mental health provider to
overcome unwanted same-sex attraction (SSA). The bill was rejected with a vote
of 4-1 and failed to get out of committee.
“This is a huge
victory for the children of Virginia, especially those who have been sexually
abused and seek help from a licensed mental health practitioner to resolve
unwanted same-sex attractions that may have resulted from molestation,”
commented Christopher Doyle, licensed clinical professional counselor and
President of Voice of the Voiceless. “We are urging delegates in the state of
Maryland to follow Virginia’s lead and also reject House Bill 91, which would ban minors in the state of
Maryland from seeing a licensed mental health practitioner to resolve trauma
that results in unwanted SSA, even if that minor voluntarily sought out the
counseling.”
House Bill 91 states that Maryland
has a compelling interest in protecting the physical and psychological well
being of minors and should protect them against exposure to serious harm caused
by sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE), yet, there is not one single peer-reviewed
scientific study that has researched the outcomes of minors that have undergone
SOCE therapy. On the contrary, a groundbreaking new book by Dr. James Phelan entitled
“Successful Outcomes
of Sexual Orientation Change Effort Therapy: An Annotated Bibliography” cites 100 years of scientific
research documenting success and showing that therapy has helped some clients
resolve their unwanted SSA and experience heterosexual attractions.
“This
legislation makes unfounded claims that SOCE therapy is harmful and
ineffective, while ignoring the reality that some minors who develop homosexual
feelings have already been harmed by sexual abuse and will be unable to pursue
help to overcome sexual confusion that may result from that molestation,”
commented Doyle. “Children who have been molested and
are confused about their sexual orientation as a result of the abuse will be
denied access to therapy simply because it is not gay-affirming. In effect, a
child will be raped twice – first by the perpetrator and then again by HB 91,
which will prohibit the child from seeing a therapist to help them heal trauma
and resolve unwanted SSA.”
House Bill 91 relies exclusively on policy statements
from so-called “mainstream” mental and medical health organizations such as the
American Psychological Association (APA), who formed a Task Force in 2009 made
up exclusively of gay-identified and gay-affirming psychologists. Not only did
the Task Force refuse to include psychologists and licensed psychotherapists
that worked with clients undergoing SOCE therapy and/or were former homosexuals,
but all members of this Task Force had previously gone on the record as
opposing SOCE therapy for philosophical and political reasons.
The APA
Task Force report advised parents to avoid SOCE therapy for their children, and
House Bill 91 chose only to include the APA and other so-called “mainstream”
mental and medical health associations’ opinions, while ignoring the
recommendations from the American Association of Christian Counselors, National
Association of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality, Catholic Medical
Association, and the American College of Pediatricians, all who support a
client’s right to resolve unwanted SSA and for parents to decide what medical
and mental health treatment is best for their family and children.
Collectively, these organizations comprise over 50,000 licensed mental and
medical health practitioners, but have been completely marginalized by House
Bill 91.
“What the
APA Task Force report actually said was that there is inadequate research to
make conclusions on the efficacy and safety of SOCE therapy,” commented Doyle.
“Bill 91’s interpretation of the APA report’s conclusions is inaccurate, and we
are calling on the APA to correct those inaccuracies, as it states in their own
2002 Code of Conduct: ‘When its research is misinterpreted or misquoted, it
(APA) should take reasonable steps to correct the misinterpretation’.”
“House Bill 91 threatens clients’ constitutional rights
of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and their first amendment rights
to see a counselor who helps them resolve unwanted SSA while remaining faithful
to their deeply held spiritual beliefs. All parents, children, and families in
Maryland deserve the right to pursue their own self-determination and should
not be forced to choose between their counselor and their faith values,” commented
Doyle. “We are urging Maryland delegates to put the rights of innocent
children, who do not have a voice, over this politically motivated legislation.”
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