CA Gov. Brown Signs SB 1172 Protecting California’s Youth

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FORIMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 30, 2012
Paul Guequierre

Gov. Brown Signs SB 1172 ProtectingCalifornia’s Youth
Law will ban harmful psychological abuse ofchildren
WASHINGTON –California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed into law SB 1172, a bill that will putan end to dangerous and disproved efforts designed to change a young person’ssexual orientation or gender expression that have proven to inflict greatemotional harm.  Upon learning of the governor’s signing of the bill,Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin issued the following statement:

"We'regrateful to Governor Brown for standing with California's children. LGBT youthwill now be protected from a practice that has not only been debunked as junkscience, but has been proven to have drastically negative effects on theirwell-being. We commend Governor Brown for putting children first, and call onall states to take California’s lead on this issue.  We will continue ourfight against this kind of child abuse, which has been deemed harmful tochildren by all major mental health, medical, and child welfareorganizations."

Authored byCalifornia Senator Ted Lieu, SB 1172 was sponsored by Equality California, theNational Center for Lesbian Rights, Gaylesta, Lambda Legal, Mental Health ofNorth America, and the Courage Campaign.  This week nearly 50,000concerned citizens signed a HumanRights Campaign petition urging the Governor to sign the bill.

Efforts tochange sexual orientation or gender expression have been debunked as junkscience, and have also been proven harmful to children and adults.  Allmajor medical and mental health organizations have denounced the practiceincluding: the American Psychological Association, the American PsychiatricAssociation, the American School Counselor Association, the American Academy ofPediatrics, the American Medical Association, the National Association ofSocial Workers, the American Psychoanalytic Association, the American Academyof Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Pan American HealthOrganization.  Learn more at www.hrc.org/reparativetherapy. 

TheHuman Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working toachieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring andengaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizensand realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
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