Relative to civil rights.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S
DIGEST
ACR 99, as introduced, Low. Civil rights: lesbian, gay, bisexual,
or transgender people.
This measure would call upon all Californians to embrace the
individual and social benefits of family and community acceptance, upon
religious leaders with conviction to counsel on LGBT matters from a place of
love, compassion, and knowledge of the psychological and other harms of
conversion therapy, and on the people of California and the institutions of
California with great moral influence to model equitable treatment of all
people of the state.
[WHAT IF a same-sex oriented person sees their condition as a
disorder, and wants to change? Are we to tell them change is not possible? How
can we conclude this? What about testimonies of people who claim to have
changed? How do we adjudicate between those testimonies and testimonies of some
who have not changed?
What if I believe people can change? Even if I am wrong, what if I
don’t think I am wrong? Am I to suppress this?]
BILL
TEXT
WHEREAS, The California State
Legislature has found that being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT)
is not a disease, disorder, illness, deficiency, or shortcoming; and
[The
Christian claim is that all persons are fundamentally disordered. Disorder, of
various kinds, is the norm. Brokenness is the norm. This includes both genetic
brokenness and environmental brokenness.
We
are all born with certain propensities towards disorder. This is not just some
"religious thing." Much secular psychology supports this, especially
genetic studies. The Judeo-Christian view confirms this.
See
Freud, e.g. Et. al.]
WHEREAS, Major professional
associations of mental and physical health recognize that being LGBT is part of
natural variations that occur in sexual orientation and gender identity, and
recommend responsive services that foster self-acceptance and skills to cope
with social stigma and discrimination; and
[“Natural
variations occur in sexual orientation and gender identity.” How about
environmental variations; i.e., variations attributed more to environment
(“nurture”) than “nature?” How can we determine this? Is it important to
determine this, before we evaluate?
Surely
there are natural variations we would not encourage someone to accept.
What about a genetic propensity to addiction? Would we foster self-acceptance
in such cases?]
WHEREAS, Practices or therapies
that attempt to create a change in a person’s sexual orientation or
gender identity are often referred to as conversion therapy; and
WHEREAS, Some family,
caregivers, and communities promote conversion therapy when a person is known
or thought to be LGBT; and
[Is
“conversion therapy” any attempt to foster sexual orientation change? As a
pastor I do not promote conversion therapy. But, I do have
persons coming to me hoping for change. If someone comes to me, rather than me pushing
it on someone, am I to refuse to help them, as best I can, even if this
involves praying for them?]
WHEREAS, California law
recognizes that performing conversion therapy on young persons is ineffective,
unethical, and harmful; and
WHEREAS, Conversion therapy has
been rejected as ineffective, unethical, and harmful by leading medical, mental
health, and child welfare organizations in the United States; and
[Still,
some persons (the number is here irrelevant) claim conversion. How can their
voices be denied?]
WHEREAS, The stigma associated
with being LGBT often created by groups in society, including therapists and
religious groups, has caused disproportionately high rates of suicide,
attempted suicide, depression, rejection, and isolation amongst LGBT and
questioning individuals; and
WHEREAS, The State of
California has a compelling interest in protecting the physical and
psychological well-being of minors, including LGBT youth, and in protecting its
minors against exposure to serious harms caused by family rejection and
attempts to change sexual orientation or gender identity; and
WHEREAS, In a pluralistic
society, people differing along spectrums of political and religious
perspectives share a common responsibility of protecting the health and well-being
of all children and vulnerable communities; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the
State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature calls
upon all Californians to embrace the individual and social benefits of family
and community acceptance; and be it further
Resolved, That the Legislature
calls upon religious leaders with conviction to counsel on LGBT matters from a
place of love, compassion, and knowledge of the psychological and other harms
of conversion therapy; and be it further
[Again,
what if some claim benefits of therapy in changing their sexual orientation?
Are we to deny them their testimony? Are we to say they are wrong? Or
misguided? Remember - this cuts both ways.]
Resolved, That in addressing
the stigma often associated with persons who identify as LGBT, we call on the
people of California–especially its counselors, pastors, religious workers,
educators, and legislators–and the institutions of California with great moral
influence–especially its churches, universities, colleges, and other schools,
counseling centers, activist groups, and religious centers–to model equitable
treatment of all people of the state; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk
of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for
appropriate distribution.
