Evangelical law firm Liberty Counsel has launched a legal challenge against Maryland's ban on gay cure therapy.
Maryland is among 16 US states that have passed laws banning gay cure therapy for minors , seeking to tackle damaging attempts to 'cure' LGBT+ teens.
However, anti-LGBT law firm Liberty Counsel is looking to have the gay cure therapy ban struck down, filing a federal lawsuit on January 21 seeking an injunction barring it from coming into effect.
The law firm claims religious therapists have a right to provide "therapy to children and adolescents who want to reduce or eliminate unwanted same-sex attractions or gender confusion," arguing the law infringes on Constitutional religious freedom and free speech protections.
Liberty Counsel: Gay cure therapy ban 'violates religious freedom'
Liberty Counsel chair Mat Staver said : “This counseling ban is unconstitutional and causes harm to counselors and clients in Maryland.
"The law is a gross intrusion into the fundamental rights of counselors and clients. Every person should have access to the counselor of their choice.
"No government has the authority to prohibit a form of counseling simply because it does not like the religious or moral beliefs of a particular counselor or client."
Liberty Counsel has filed a spate of lawsuits challenging LGBT+ rights protections in the past few months, seeking to capitalise on a conservative US Supreme Court majority that is likely to side against LGBT+ rights in most key decisions.
Liberty Counsel is listed anti-LGBT hate group
Liberty Counsel is best known for representing embattled Kentucky clerk Kim Davis when she refused to issue marriage licences to same-sex couples after a US Supreme Court decision to legalise gay marriage.
The law firm recently lobbied to strip LGBT+ protections from an anti-lynching bill .
[caption id="attachment_316159" align="alignnone" width="650"]
Founder and Chairman of the Liberty Counsel Mat Staver speaks during live nativity scene outside of the U.S. Supreme Court on December 12, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Zach Gibson/Getty)[/caption]
Liberty Counsel is classified as a hate group by extremism watchdog the Southern Poverty Law Center due to its extreme views and history of spreading anti-LGBT propaganda.
Mat Staver previously made a false claim that first responders at the 2016 Pulse gay club attack had to “get tested for AIDS-related conditions” because of the blood of gay victims.
Liberty Counsel has previously admitted helping state Republican lawmakers to draft anti-LGBT legislation , as well as attempting to push anti-LGBT laws around the world.
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