"Reparative Therapy" Camp Loses in Court

The story of Zach of LIA/R has long since taken on a life of it's own, to the point that I haven't been tracking it very closely for a while now. So I missed the news this weekend that LIA/R failed to clear its first major hurdle in its lawsuit against the state of Tennessee, as a judge refused to allow LIA/R to continue "treating" people.

A federal judge has refused to allow Love In Action ministry, which counsels gay clients to turn straight, to continue treating people who are mentally ill and require prescription medication.

An injunction was sought against an order from the state Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, which found that the group's two Memphis facilities were controlling patients' access to prescription medication and thus needed to be licensed as a mental health facility.

Love In Action International Inc. has sued the state to oppose being required to get a license. It claims that the facility did not restrict access to medication but kept it in a central location to prevent theft and tampering.

Representatives from LIA/R say they're still hopeful that the courts will rule in their favor. And they could be right. After all, the Salvation Army found a judge to say it's just fine for them to get government funds and discriminate on the basis of religion and sexual orientation. If LIA/R can't find a similar judge in a state as "red" as Tennessee, then don't even deserve to be wingnuts. They'd have to be something dumber.

Comments

[joe]

I think this "program" should be shut down, and I, perhaps, any means is justified. The fact that it is being done through / by the mental health authorities (even though they talking access to medications) gives too much of a hint that being gay is on par with being mentally ill. Granted we all (gay and straight and everywhere inbetween) got "issues." But the issues aren't about being gay (in and of itself). In other words, if they get their mental health license (doubtful) they can go back into business?

Joe