Homosexual and transgender activists, under the guise of banning so called “gay conversion therapies,” are trying to use the power of the state to force their views of human sexuality on our children by banning any attempts to help children work through their own struggles with homosexual feelings or gender confusion.  They have already successfully passed laws like this in CA, OR, VT and NJ, and in just the past several weeks have picked up NV and CT.  There were also hearings earlier this spring in New Hampshire and Rhode Island on similar bills.

In Massachusetts, House Bill 1190 would prohibit any professional therapist, including pastors or religious counselors who hold a counseling license in the Commonwealth, from engaging in any therapy that “attempts or purports to impose change of an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.” A therapist who, at the request of a parent or child, wants to have a simple verbal conversation with that child about his or her unwanted sexual attractions would be unable to do so. Instead, therapists would be limited to actively reinforcing or promoting the homosexual or transgender lifestyle. This dangerous and unconstitutional bill woulddirectly interfere with the ability of parents to seek out the best treatment for their children who are struggling with unwanted sexual attraction, and would alsolimit the free speech and religious liberty rights of pastors or other religious therapists who disagree with the homosexual lifestyle.

The MA bill also stands out from laws passed in other states in that there is an additional provision categorizing this type of counseling as “child abuse” under state law.  In effect, if parents took a gender confused daughter to a licensed mental health professional to help her literally feel comfortable in her own skin, the therapist would lose their license and the parents could lose their daughter to a Dept. of Children and Families intervention due to “child abuse.”

Obviously, categorizing opposition to the transgender ideology as child abuse would be enormously destructive to our children and our families.  At MFI, we are working with experts across the country to fight this legislation, and we will keep you posted on how you can help.  You can read more about it here.