December 8, 2017 at 12:23 pm EDT | by Staff reports
Liberty Counsel joins 'conversion' battle in Fla.
TAMPA, Fla. — Citing an alleged First Amendment violation, the anti-LGBT hate group Liberty Counsel filed a suit in federal court against the city of Tampa for enacting a ban on gay "conversion therapy" for minors, the South Florida Gay News reports.
Liberty Counsel is representing Robert Vazzo, David Pickup and their minor clients and parents in the case against the city. A noted figure in the gay conversion therapy industry, Pickup raised eyebrows last month when he introduced a flamboyant flag dancer as the opening act at an anti-LGBT conference in Texas.
According to a statement released by Liberty Counsel, "Ordinance 2017-47 violates the First Amendment by imposing a viewpoint and content-based prohibition on the speech of licensed professionals in Tampa who offer change counseling." Liberty Counsel further claims that the ordinance violates the rights of clients under the Florida Patient's Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, the South Florida Gay News reports.
Tampa's ban on gay conversion therapy was passed by the City Council unanimously last April. The ban, which levies fines on mental health practitioners and counselors who engage who purport to change or curb a minor's sexual orientation or gender identity. Similar bans are in place in Miami Beach, Wilton Manors, Miami, North Bay Village, West Palm Beach, Bay Harbor Islands, Lake Worth, El Portal, Key West, Boynton Beach, Tampa, Delray Beach, Riviera Beach, Wellington, Greenacres, Boca Raton and Oakland Park, the South Florida Gay News reports.
Fines will range from $1,000-5,000, the South Florida Gay News reports.
anti-gayBay Harbor IslandsBoca RatonBoynton Beachconversion therapyDelray BeachEl Portalex-gayfirst amendmentFloridaGreenacresKey WestLake WorthLiberty CounselMiamiMiami BeachNorth Bay VillageOakland ParkOrdinance 2017-47Riviera BeachSouth Florida Gay NewsTampaWellingtonWest Palm BeachWilton Manors