Monday, Tennessee legislators passed a bill that could threaten mental health treatment for LGBT individuals. The bill basically allows therapists and counselors to deny service to LGBT people under the claim that they might "violate sincerely held principles" without any legal liability. LGBT advocates have protested the bill and asked Haslam to veto it, as it's just another discriminatory bill like those passed earlier this year. Protestors are also worried that the bill could extend to the same discrimination towards other minorities, like people of color. If the bill passes, Tennessee will be the only state in the country with a law like this, and it violates the code of ethics "mental health professionals cannot refuse treatment based on personally held values, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors." This law is like those sweeping the south, such as North Carolina's transgender bathroom law, which has sparked national outrage.
When gay marriage was legalized this summer, people believed the fight for LGBT rights was over, but in reality, it is far from it. Dating back to the 60's basic rights for LGBT has been looked at more like a privilege than a basic human right. This event can be synthesized to MILK, a man who was fighting anti-LGBT laws in America.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tennessee-lgbt-counseling_us_570c4c4de4b0836057a23d63
That's crazy to deny people their right. They're stil human being and deserve to e treated as so.
ReplyDelete