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Federal Court Strikes Down Tampa's Ban on Counseling for Minors Seeking Freedom

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The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down Tampa, Florida's ban against talk therapy for minors seeking freedom from unwanted same-sex attraction.

The city had tried to block licensed therapists from providing voluntary counseling to those minors. The federal appeals court ruled on Thursday that the ban is unconstitutional under the First Amendment.

In 2019, federal Judge William F. Jung had already ruled that Tampa's ban may restrict patients' rights to privacy and parents' rights to choose health care for their children. Jung also refuted the made-up term "conversion therapy" that activists and the establishment news media frequently use. 

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In the case, Vazzo v. City of Tampa, Liberty Counsel represents marriage and family therapist Robert Vazzo and his minor clients, as well as the Christian ministry, New Hearts Outreach Tampa Bay.

The latest ruling is based on Liberty Counsel's previous victory in Otto v. City of Boca Raton in which the Eleventh Circuit had ruled that similar attempts to muzzle counselors from helping their clients in Palm Beach County and the City of Boca Raton were unconstitutional restrictions on the freedom of speech because they targeted specific viewpoints.

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The lower District Court ruling in the Vazzo case had determined that the therapy ban was a statewide concern and beyond the authority of local governments. In reaching that decision, the lower court did not decide the First Amendment claim. But the newer ruling by the Appeals Court permanently strikes down the ordinance under the First Amendment.

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, "This is a great victory for counselors and their clients. Counselors and clients have the freedom to choose the counsel of their choice and be free of political censorship from government-mandated speech."

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Benjamin Gill oversees internet and social media content as the Multimedia Manager for CBNNews.com. He has been on staff with CBN News as an internet and broadcast producer since 2000. Here are some of his commentaries and articles: Pursuing Truth in a World of Fake News: Reflections of a Christian Journalist After 20 Years with CBN News Plagues, the End Times, and Trusting in God's Protection: 'You Will Hear Us and Rescue Us' 12 Powerful Bible Verses to Build Your Faith and Fight Fear During the Coronavirus Crisis 'Beasts of Darkness': The Satanic Hatred that Possessed Connor Betts, and What