House of Representatives vote could be held as early as Wednesday

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Woburn, MA – On the eve of a formal legislative session on Beacon Hill where the Counseling Ban (H 140) could be voted upon, the Massachusetts Family Institute is launching a radio ad campaign to educate the public about the legislation.

House Bill 140 is the counterpart to Senate Bill 70, which would label certain types of counseling on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity as “child abuse.” If passed, the senate bill would allow the state Department of Children and Families to take custody of minor children away from parents who seek simple talk therapy for children instead of hormonal or surgical “treatments.”  

Both bills impose criminal liability on health professionals who counsel children struggling with unwanted or gender confusion, and criminalize a “wait and see” approach likely preferred by most parents. By criminalizing these therapy options, this legislation will prevent parents from taking their children for any therapy, because no professionally trained counseling will be available that aligns with their convictions. Parents will be forced instead into unregulated options. Also, faith-based licensed counselors will be constrained in their expressions of faith among their clients.

“Our radio ad seeks to educate the public about what’s really in this legislation, as even some legislators don’t understand that the focus is on eliminating any counseling options that don’t affirm a LGBT-centric view of human sexuality,” said MFI President and General Counsel Andrew Beckwith.

“Counselors should be free to act in the best interest of a child, and parents should be free to choose a wait and see approach if a minor child wants gender reassignment surgery.”

The text of the ad is as follows:

“Last year, a mom in Burlington, MA almost lost custody of her teenage daughter, because the girl’s doctors insisted she should be given men’s hormones after they diagnosed her as ‘transgender.’  The mom wanted to get her daughter counseling, not hormones and surgery, and had to fight to maintain custody. Now, some on Beacon Hill want to give the Department of Children and Families MORE power through new legislation. Under House Bill 140 and Senate Bill 70, parents would be branded as child abusers if they do not want to allow their children to change their gender. We’re talking about girls who are sometimes 12 or 13 years old who decide they’re boys, and vice versa. Parents who think children should wait and bring them to counseling to steer them away from surgery would be called ‘child abusers.’ The state could take your son and get him gender reassignment surgery without your consent. Please call your legislators at 617-722-2000 and tell them to OPPOSE the counseling ban. (Paid for by the Massachusetts Family Institute)  

The audio of the ad may be found here.

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