Aaron Blitzer, a California college student and a self-proclaimed “ex-gay” who says he’s studying to become a “pray away the gay” therapist, filed suit Monday in federal court seeking to block California’s groundbreaking new law that bans “ex-gay” therapy for minors.
Blitzer is joined in the lawsuit by San Diego minister Donald Welsch, a licensed family therapist who operates a Christian counseling center, and Dr. Anthony Duk, a Catholic psychiatrist. California Governor Jerry Brown and 21 other state officials are named as defendants, including representatives of the California Board of Behavioral Sciences and the California Medical Board. Blitzer, Welsch, and Duk allege that the new law infringes on their constitutional rights of free speech, privacy and free exercise of religion. Blitzer additionally claims that the law prevents him from entering his chosen field, while Welsch and Duk say it would restrict their counseling practices, ABC News reports.
It will be interesting to see whether the court agrees to hear the case or tosses Blitzer’s suit out as frivolous (which, by the way, it is — this Washington Post column from Becky Garrison explains why); we’ll keep you posted. We’ll also let you know as soon as we’re able to find out the name of the university that’s allowing Blitzer to obtain a degree in “ex-gay” therapy. . .
h/t: Queerty’s Dan Avery
