Approved March 19, 2016

The California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) reaffirms its respect of human diversity, including gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation.ⁱ

CAMFT reaffirms that same-sex sexual attractions, feelings, and behaviors are normal and positive variations of human sexuality regardless of sexual orientation identity.ⁱⁱ

CAMFT reaffirms that being transgender or gender nonconforming (TGNC) are normal and positive variations of gender identities and gender expressions.ⁱⁱⁱ

CAMFT affirms the legislative intent of Senate Bill 1172 (2012), a law designed to protect the physical and psychological well-being of minors and to protect minors from exposure to serious harms caused by conversion therapy.^iv

Accordingly, the CAMFT Board of Directors states the following:

CAMFT recognizes that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender nonconforming, and queer individuals, couples and families continue to experience discrimination and prejudice by some psychotherapists for their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

CAMFT opposes the use of psychological interventions to change any person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions, based on a priori assumption that same-sex attraction and/or gender nonconformity is a mental disorder or deficiency or based on a priori treatment goal that clients should alter their sexual orientation or gender identity.^v

CAMFT supports psychological interventions that provide assistance to an individual undergoing a gender transition, or that provide acceptance, support, and understanding of clients’ coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, including sexual orientation-neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices, as long as such efforts do not seek to change sexual orientation or gender identity.^vi

CAMFT endorses the American Psychological Association’s Resolution on Appropriate Responses to Sexual Orientation Distress and Change Efforts; ^vii and,

CAMFT endorses the American Psychiatric Association's Postion Statement on Psychiatric Treatment and Sexual Orientation. ^viii

*This statement does not modify or amend, and is in alignment with the CAMFT Code of Ethics. ^ix

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ⁱ CAMFT Statement: CAMFT Issues Statement Supporting Marriage Equality CAMFT Code of Ethics, section 1.1.
ⁱⁱ American Psychological Association Resolution on Appropriate Affirmative Responses to Sexual Orientation Distress and Change Efforts (2009).
ⁱⁱⁱ Report of the American Psychological Association Task Force on Gender Identity and Gender Variance (2009).
^iv SB 1172 (2012).
^v The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act, HR 2450 (2015).
^vi The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act, HR 2450 (2015). 
ⁱⁱ American Psychological Association Resolution on Appropriate Responses to Sexual Orientation Distress and Change Efforts; (2009)
^viiiAmerican Psychiatric Association's Postion Statement on Psychiatric Treatment and Sexual Orientation. (1998)
^ix CAMFT Code of Ethics (2011).