Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Health Professions
 
Board
Board of Counseling
 
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4/16/19  8:20 am
Commenter: Patricia Capps

Do Not Ban Conversion Therapy
 

Do not support this ban on conversion/reparative therapy.  It is just "talk" therapy.  It is not forcing drugs or electric shock or anything heinous and harmful like that. Parents have the right to raise their children according to their values, not the Commonwealth (and most certainly not to some regulators).  This is not just a First Amendment freedom of practice of religion and speech issue, but goes to the core of the fundamental rights of parents in the upbringing of their children.  There will be a domino effect if this is allowed.  First, regulators will think they can do what they want regardless of what the General Assembly can pass or not.  Second, regulators will think that they can tell parents what they can and can't say to their children about any cultural issue, like gay marriage, abortion, sex outside of marriage, and so on.  This cannot happen.

CommentID: 71422