According to LGBTQ Nation, the Liberty Counsel announced two days after a bill was signed into law that they will be filing a lawsuit stating their disagreement of the new law banning “reparative therapy”. The new law, passed by California Gov. Jerry Brown, makes it illegal for “gay to straight” therapy to be performed on minors.

Many children who have identified as LGBT have been forced into “gay to straight” or also known as “reparative therapy” in hopes that they will become straight. Gov. Jerry Brown stated that there is no scientific backing behind reparative therapy.

The Liberty Center has announced that they will be filing a lawsuit stating that the new law is taking away the rights of the parents. Mat Staver stated –

“The California governor and legislature are putting their own preconceived notions and political ideology ahead of children and their rights to get access to counseling that meets their needs,” said Staver.

“A number of minors who have struggled with same-sex attraction have been able to reduce or eliminate the stress and conflicts in their lives by receiving counseling of their choice which best meets their needs and religious convictions. This bill will harm children, stress families, and place counselors in a catch-22, because they will be forced to violate their licensing ethical codes.”

Sen. Lieu, who was the co-sponsor of the bill banning reparative therapy, stated that this bill was created based on the concerns of medical, psychological and psychiatric groups stating that reparative therapy is not based on sound scientific principles.

Lieu further states –

“Being lesbian or gay or bisexual is not a disease or mental disorder for the same reason that being a heterosexual is not a disease or a mental disorder,” Lieu said. “The medical community is unanimous in stating that homosexuality is not a medical condition.”

The Liberty Counsel was founded in 1989 and is affiliated with Liberty University Law School in Virginia.