Sacramento, Calif., Oct 3, 2012 / 03:16 am
Pro-family and parental rights groups are saying a new California law banning therapy for minors who struggle with same-sex attraction is disrespectful of both personal choice and parents' rights.
"Parents have the best interests of their children in mind, and if they determine that particular types of therapies or interventions are needed, that's certainly their right, and this law doesn't respect that," Ned Dolejsi, director of the California Catholic Conference told CNA Oct. 2.
"The attack on parental rights is exactly the whole point of the bill, because we don't want to let parents harm their children," the bill's sponsor Ted Lieu has said.
He compared reparative therapy to minors' use of tobacco and alcohol, and stated, "reparative therapy hurts children, so this bill allows us to stop parents from hurting their children."