An electrician came to do some work in our home and said he’d just gotten back from Sacramento where he and his pastor had gone to speak against AB2943, a bill that will make sexual orientation reparative therapy illegal – even if requested. They were concerned that the bill was an attempt to move toward outlawing the Bible. Contemporary science recognizes just about anything as “part of the natural spectrum of human identity”. The bill talks about the risks of reparative therapy causing depression, anxiety and self-destructive behavior. Which made me wonder: Why a patient would seek such therapy if happy in their chosen lifestyle?
Needless to say, I’m confused. One paragraph said, “through psychotherapy, gay men and lesbians can become comfortable with their sexual orientation.” “Can become” implies a work in process. So, does this mean they are not comfortable with their lifestyle and need sanctioned psychotherapy which will make them comfortable? That raised more questions.
After reading through the bill completely, I ended up concluding the whole thing had to do with “feelings”. If someone feels uncomfortable or guilty, whoever or whatever is “causing” those feelings will be breaking the law. Will this trend apply to all facets of life? (Who gets on a cheer leading team, for example. Or a person who doesn’t get a promotion. Or a child who refuses to do homework, but is hurt when they get an F…)
Feelings are a very poor basis for law. Feelings change constantly.
Apparently, sexual feelings and identity are in flux as well. While discussing this bill, my son informed me he had read there are twenty-seven different sexual orientations listed. What?! I thought he was exaggerating until I went online and read thirty-three were recognized by an Australian sex survey, one hundred and two on another. CBS even had an article on gender identity terms we need to know. Really? Do I want to know? When in need of a restroom, will we all be in the same “inclusive” line with a circle and arrows in all directions and a plus sign at the bottom (to include all those orientations that can’t fit on the sign)?
A day later, a friend who was waiting tables said she overheard a conversation between her patrons as she served. One had an eight-year-old daughter who wished she’d been born a boy. So, feeling obligated to allow her to freely express her sexual identity, her father had put her on drugs to make her a boy. Seriously? Please give your daughter a chance to grow up. When I was eight, I wanted to be a boy, too. It had nothing to do with sexual identity. Who cared about sex at eight! It was all about watching my older brother have more freedom, adventures and fun.
The people obsessed with letters now are pressing for a list: LGBTQQIP2SAA+. I must say my feelings are deeply hurt. I may never get over this anguish. There is no letter designation for me. Nor is there a letter for my husband or most of the vast major of people I know. I guess God’s design for mankind – M and F – is unrecognized these days.