by Stephanie Curry
Can you imagine a time when the state can come into your home and take away your child – because you loved your child enough to help him find counseling to work through unwanted same-sex attraction? Can you imagine a place where the state can put your daughter in foster care, because together you hired a therapist to help her heal from feeling like she was born in the wrong body? Currently, that time and place is right now in Canada, and rapidly approaching the United States.
This year, many states proposed and passed bills that would prohibit children from receiving counseling from licensed mental healthcare professionals for unwanted same-sex attraction or feeling like they were born the wrong sex. The Left deceptively refers to it as “conversion therapy”. Under such therapy ban laws, mental healthcare professionals can only provide counseling that is supportive or encouraging of a child’s same-sex attraction or gender confusion.
A few months back, Family Policy Alliance shared the story of Carlton. In his childhood, Carlton was abused by a male church leader, and for many years he wasn’t able to discern that his feelings of same-sex attraction had been forced upon him by his abuser. Therapy ban laws prevent parents from allowing their child to seek out a professional to discover why their child is experiencing gender and sexual identity struggles beyond the one size-fits-all, “born this way” approach. Even worse, some Massachusetts legislators are arguing that counselors who provide access to faith-affirming therapy for children to work through feelings of same-sex attraction and gender identity struggles should be reported and treated as child abusers. We believe children should have the unequivocal right to find licensed mental healthcare that is in line with their moral and religious beliefs.
Family Policy Alliance needs your continued support in striving to protect a time and place where parents are able to freely act to shield their child from emotional and psychological harm. The state should not be stepping into the place of parents when it comes to our children’s mental health.
This is part 4 of 5 in our Let Parents Parent series on the importance of protecting parental rights for families.
Part 5 Education Choice for Families and a Wide-Open Future for Their Kids
