How do you feel about laws that prohibit counsel to Youth about SSA and Gender/Sexual Orientation?

Given the June 7 court in Tampa, Florida regarding LAWS to prohibit talking to youth about their sexuality, does this or should this, sound an alarm to the nation?

Could it be that we may have limited time to speak freely to youth! Are our rights to free speech being taken from us? Are our rights to religious freedom being violated? Is the constitution being upheld or not?

Is there a NEED to protect youth from "religious" people?

Or is this an interruption of potential help for those who have been sexually or emotionally abused?

More information on this case: https://tampafortruth.com

"Tampa City Council has voted to ban licensed therapy for unwanted same-sex attractions, even if homosexual feelings are caused by sexual or emotional abuse!"

There is so much conflict and uproar about this issue in me and maybe many others. . How bout you? What are your thoughts and feelings? Feel free to write me at theelephantgospel@gmail.com

Are the accusations true?

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-race-good-health/201305/tips-coping-your-teen-s-sexual-orientation This article details the bullying and statistics associated with identifying "Gay"

Are youth being greatly shamed, condemned, treated with contempt and given "counsel" that is unloving and despairing, controlling, unreasonable and usually without any lasting help or change from "the religious forces".

Have some "youths" committed suicide because of their "natural inclinations" that they have failed to overcome and therefore they have given up life because of rejection from family/society/church and their being plagued by a sense of "failure".

If so, what is the answer?

My story (in The Elephant Gospel book) is one that speaks to this issue of this time. IF I had family and societal support in my sexual confusion due to childhood sexual abuse, I may have stayed in that lifestyle and missed a loving, faithful, Christian marriage with my husband of over 37 years and children with him and great healing of spirit, soul, mind and body over the course of many years!!

Is it true that as a whole we are often hurting youth by speaking the truth WITHOUT LOVE and with shame and condemnation?

Sad to say, that was my experience as a youth and has been my experience often as an adult!

I agonized over my season of sexual confusion for years. Although it was a very short time as a teen that I had same sex experimentation, I lived a silent hell inside of me for decades due to it and the sexual abuse of my earlier years. I believe that experimentation was ushered in due to the emotional turmoil that sexual abuses caused. I suffered untold agony many times from a young age.I did not know what to do with my own confusion and pain. I finally for the first time talked to a girl friend about my fears and thoughts and it lead to the even more confusing path of experimentation! That time of experimentation was one of two greatest regrets of my life. It made things worse for me.

The result of this and the sexual abuse affected me greatly and the angst that I suffered about caused me to commit suicide for decades. I seriously questioned my sanity at times due to the stress and feelings of pain, despair and questioning I had. It was not that I had Same Sex Attraction. It was the guilt and feelings of worthlessness and feeling dirty that I associated with sex from the abuse! Even in marriage, a good one in so many respects, I wondered if I was like other woman or if I was always going to have to struggle with feelings of failure as a woman that plagued me. I was not comfortable with myself due to the abuses and lies I believed.

As a youth I was really afraid of boys and men at times in my life that caused me to act and do bizarre and unhealthy things. One time I almost broke a teenage boy's arm as I slammed it in the door because I was panicked that he was going to get to me. I was out of my mind with fear and panic. Way more than the situation called for to a boy that liked me and was just goofing around. That teen boy was so hurt and angry at me. I think he realized something was seriously not right with me and never wanted anything to do with me again. I was ashamed of my reaction but could not have told you what had triggered me to react that way at the timet. So many things like this in my childhood and teen years that make NO SENSE to me or to others. I had a love hate relationship with myself and the opposite sex. The roller coaster was off its tracks often and I was hanging off the edge close to death in my soul more times than I can count.

Youth with sexual abuse or emotional abuse can be at risk for more abuses in the same areas. "Counselors have been guilty of using the vulnerable and abusing them." Many cases like this in the news. Some counselors put their "convictions" on youth creating more conflict and feelings of overwhelming despair as youth seem not to be able to measure up.

Does there need to be laws to protect or prevent potential abuses or counseling? Or should the counselors have to graduate from special classes to prepare them for these trauma cases?

I fully believe The Love of God and true Gospel is the answer. But I did not receive this from the church in my disclosing my season of confusion! And still I have not received it very much from the churched! It is a hypocrisy at its worst.

So again I find myself in the middle between the two sides. I am passionately wanting to fight to protect the youth from the "religious" that harm and also passionately want to help youth get good, solid effective help.

But how best to "regulate" or teach counselors to help struggling youth? Should the law regulate this?

O how I want the youth to truly receive help and to tell them "please don't give up on yourself or who you can best be"

If the youth truly felt loved and accepted RIGHT WHERE THEY ARE and given a chance to express themselves and their conflicts and find out what the truth is and help to negate feelings and lies, much progress to bring healing will occur. Sadly, often "religious" settings do not offer that, in my experience!

God help us speak the truth in love with support, compassion and hope and live the Gospel to those struggling! I fully believe The Love of God and true Gospel is the answer. But I did not receive this from the church in my disclosing my season of confusion! Because I didn't, I want to protect youth from those like I was hurt by. I am passionate to truly help and bring messages of healing and redemption.