David Scher on California's Recent Move to Ban "Gay Conversion Therapy" for Minors

Hello, my name is David Scher and I am an attorney with The Employment Law Group. The
Employment Law Group strongly supports rights of the LGBT community and we represent employees
who face discrimination based on their sexual orientation. Therefore, we are very happy
the governor Jerry Brown has just signed into law a bill that bans a controversial therapy
that aims to reverse homosexuality in minors. This new law states that mental health providers
who use sexual orientation change efforts on clients under 18 would be engaging in unprofessional
conduct and subject to discipline by their respective state licensing boards. This move
marks a major victory for gay rights advocates who say that this kind of conversion therapy,
which is also called reparative therapy, has no medical basis because homosexuality is
simply not a disorder. This measure prohibits children and teens under 18 from undergoing
sexual orientation change efforts and to receive support from The California Psychological
Association, The California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and The California
Board of Behavioral Scientists, among others. All major medical and mental health organizations
including the American Medical Association and The American Psychiatric Association have
denounced this practice. Even the psychiatrist who first pioneered the therapy, Dr. Robert
Spitzer himself, has renounced this therapy and has apologized to the gay and lesbian
community. We are very proud of this result and really California has always been at the
forefront of LGBT rights. If you are an employee facing discrimination based on your sexual
orientation there is something you could do. Contact The Employment Law Group because we
can help you. You can reach us at www.employmentlawgroup.com. Thanks and have a great day.