From new writer, Niamh

The Californian LGBT community had cause for celebration this week. A new bill protecting the rights of young LGBT people was passed by Senator Ted Lieu. It aims to prevent the practice of reassigning someone’s sexual orientation via ‘’therapeutic’’ forms (quite the opposite) and‘’praying the gay away’’ as the process has been nicknamed affectionately by several church groups.

The law is working to prevent the oppression of young gay people by rendering this practice illegal, and has come up with a structure to penalise therapists and church groups which attempt to support such activity. This will not become active until January the 1st 2013, and applies only to individuals subjected to this form of therapy while they are under the age of 18. Parent’s rights groups in California have protested at the legislation, claiming it strips them of their authority as guardians.

This is an ironic argument if ever there was one. Personally I’d question the right to being named a guardian in this case, should you carry this title if you feel the need to train your child into not only self-loathing but also self-denial? I would presume not, but then I’m considered possessed by a randy gay devil so who am I to talk?

Image from wikimedia.org

This landmark decision has come at a time where every section of the LGBT community is slowly beginning to acquire a voice, and now the most vulnerable of this community have the chance to be protected from being homogenised to fit in with their social counterparts. It also allows the chance at last for a different form of reassignment. Reassigning the way parents view their homosexual children, no longer tainted goods but individuals in their own rights.

We can only hope that this change in turn re-educates those who continue to see homosexuality as a raging disease and paves the way for the rest of America and of course the world, to re-examine the discriminating and damaging legislation surrounding the rights of LGBT people which is still considered ‘’law’’.