update on my reaction to the CA law
Oct. 2nd, 2012 07:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
martasficLast night I posted with some concerns about the California law banning therapies trying to "cure" homosexuality for minors. Mainly it was a freedom thing - I could think of situations where for whatever reason a gay adult might want therapy that didn't aim at accepting and expressing his or her sexuality. It seemed domineering for the government to tell the patient he couldn't pursue that kind of therapy.
Many people commented, explaining that this law was addressing legitimate concerns, and that it didn't run into the problem I raised because it only applied to adults. I listened, I heard, and I was convinced. I still think adults should have the option to make of their sexuality what they will, with professional help if they choose. But after reading everyone's comments last night, I can see quite easily why teenagers might be pressured into accepting this therapy - so that even if the request came from the kids rather than the parents, the kid would still be succumbing to parental/community pressure in a lot of cases.
So I wanted to stand up and say you guys have changed my mind on this. This is blogging at its best, at least IMO - I express a concern or thought, other people react, and a real change happens. Sometimes it doesn't always happen in as short a time period as this time(!), but I do think listening to my friends' reactions spurs me on. It's the dialogue style I love about philosophy, too.
Thanks for reading, and for offering your own thoughts and experiences. I probably don't say this often enough, but I do appreciate it.
Many people commented, explaining that this law was addressing legitimate concerns, and that it didn't run into the problem I raised because it only applied to adults. I listened, I heard, and I was convinced. I still think adults should have the option to make of their sexuality what they will, with professional help if they choose. But after reading everyone's comments last night, I can see quite easily why teenagers might be pressured into accepting this therapy - so that even if the request came from the kids rather than the parents, the kid would still be succumbing to parental/community pressure in a lot of cases.
So I wanted to stand up and say you guys have changed my mind on this. This is blogging at its best, at least IMO - I express a concern or thought, other people react, and a real change happens. Sometimes it doesn't always happen in as short a time period as this time(!), but I do think listening to my friends' reactions spurs me on. It's the dialogue style I love about philosophy, too.
Thanks for reading, and for offering your own thoughts and experiences. I probably don't say this often enough, but I do appreciate it.