S2278 in the New Jersey Legislature is a protection measure designed to prohibit counseling attempts to change sexual orientation. In fact, there is no short title for the legislation, because the bill only goes by its long title: "An Act concerning the protection of minors from counseling attempts to change sexual orientation and supplementing Title 45 of the Revised Statutes." The legislation appears to have some level of bipartisan support, as it was approved in committee by a vote of 7-1 and Gov. Chris Christie has even noted that he does not support gay conversion therapy.
However, in a bizarre move to reframe the argument, opponents of the legislation have started calling the measure the "Jerry Sandusky Victimization Act," which has outraged gay rights advocates and other proponents of the legislation. In attempting to legitimize the name change, Gregory Quinlan of New Jersey Family First stated that being molested sometimes induced sexual feelings for the same sex, and said, "[w]e’d be denying the child the discovery of why they’re having those feelings, which is why we’re calling this the ‘Jerry Sandusky Victimization Act.'"
A spokesperson for Garden State Equality called the Sandusky reference a "new low."
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