Huge win: Florida Judge strikes down city’s ban on counseling minors with unwanted same-sex attractions

Oct 5, 2019 by Jill

by Doug Mainwaring, LifeSite:

In a ruling issued today that will have national repercussions, a federal judge permanently struck down a city ordinance that prohibited licensed counselors from providing voluntary talk therapy to minors seeking help to reduce or eliminate their unwanted same-sex attractions, behaviors, or identity.

Judge William F. Jung ruled that the city of Tampa had overstepped its bounds by instituting a regulation forbidding therapists from helping minors. “Local governments do not have authority to regulate counseling because it is the prerogative of the state,” according to statement from the Liberty Counsel.

Matthew D. Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, averred the ruling will “gut every counseling ban in Florida and leave no room to redraft them.”

The judge’s order “shreds the arguments to justify these bans and will provide a strong basis for First Amendment challenges to the statewide bans,” said Staver in letter announcing the victory.

Read here