CHICAGO TRIBUNE-REUTERS: California's Senate passes bill to ban gay therapy

By Mary Slosson~Reuters

A bill that would ban a therapy that aims to reverse homosexuality in children and teens passed California's Senate on Wednesday, moving the state a step closer to becoming the first in the nation to ban the controversial treatment.

The 23-13 vote in the Democratic-controlled Senate marked a major victory for gay rights advocates who say the therapy has no medical basis because homosexuality is not a disorder, and that it can cause depression and lead to substance abuse and suicide.