Supreme Court rejects conversion therapy case
12.12.2023 - 08:39
/ qvoicenews.com
Conversion therapy became infamous after the 2007 “South Park” episode “Cartman Sucks.” Butters Stotch’s parents thinks he is “bi-curious” and send him a pray-the-gay-away camp, where several youth commit suicide after being told they are sexually confused. The Supreme Court on Monday rejected over the objections of three conservative justices a Christian therapist’s free speech challenge to a Washington state ban on conversion therapy for minors. Photo: Comedy Central.
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a Christian therapist’s free speech challenge to a Washington state ban on conversion therapy for minors.
Favored by some anti-gay conservatives, the widely discredited practice pushes gay or lesbian minors to change their sexual orientations and transgender children to identify as the gender identities assigned to them at birth.
Washington is one of 26 states that have banned or restricted such therapy for minors. In 2013, California became the first state in the union to ban the practice on minors.
“This is a victory for LGBTQ+ civil rights. The research is clear — conversion therapy does not work, and can be particularly harmful to minors,” Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in a statement.
The Supreme Court’s decision to not hear the case means the Washington law stays in place, and that the lower court ruling remains.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said the government can regulate the conduct of medical professionals, especially when it concerns the safety of minors.
Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh said they would have heard the appeal.
In his dissent, Thomas claimed the existence of “a fierce public debate over how best to help minors with gender dysphoria”