In The US, The War On Gays Continues
Warning: So-called “conversion therapy” causes harm.
Conversion therapy has been rejected by every major medical and mental health organisation worldwide. These treatments claim to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. They don’t work. The scientific evidence shows they cause serious mental harm and, in some cases, physical harm.
The Australian Medical Association, American Psychological Association, and World Health Organisation all oppose these practices. Studies link conversion therapy to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide among LGBTQIA+ youth.
In Australia, most states have banned conversion therapy. Victoria was the first to outlaw it in 2021, with Queensland and the ACT following shortly after.
What Is Conversion Therapy and Why Is It Dangerous?
Conversion therapy is rooted in the false belief that LGBTQIA+ identities are disorders that need fixing. This notion was debunked decades ago when homosexuality was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1973.
Major health organisations have since rejected conversion therapy as unscientific and harmful. Studies show that individuals subjected to these practices often experience severe mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The methods used in conversion therapy range from talk sessions to extreme measures like physical abuse or food deprivation. These practices not only fail to achieve their intended goals but also inflict lasting psychological damage on vulnerable individuals, particularly minors.
Colorado’s Ban Under Fire
The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear a challenge to Colorado’s 2019 law that bans licensed mental health professionals from performing conversion therapy on minors.
Kaley Chiles, a Christian therapist from Colorado, claims the law stops her from speaking freely with clients. She believes the ban breaks her First Amendment right to free speech.
The case will be heard during the Supreme Court’s next term, which starts in October.
Chiles is backed by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal group that has fought against other LGBTQIA+ protections in the past.
According to court papers, Chiles is a practicing Christian who “believes that people flourish when they live consistently with God’s design, including their biological sex.”
Kristen Waggoner, the group’s CEO, said: “The government has no business censoring private conversations between clients and counselors, nor should a counselor be used as a tool to impose the government’s biased views on her clients.”
What Does Colorado Say About Its Ban?
Colorado officials argue they’re regulating professional conduct, not speech. They point out that states have long regulated medical practices to protect patients from harmful treatments.
A spokesperson from Colorado Attorney General Philip Weiser’s office defended the law: “Colorado’s law protecting young people from unscientific and cruel gay conversion therapy practices is humane, smart and appropriate, and we’re committed to defending it at the Supreme Court.”
Colorado’s openly gay Governor Jared Polis, who signed the ban into law, has called conversion therapy “a tortuous practice that has long been widely discredited by medical and mental health professionals.”
More than 20 US states and the District of Columbia currently have similar bans on conversion therapy for minors. How will this ruling affect them? The Supreme Court’s decision could have far-reaching impacts on LGBTQIA+ protections across America.
A Pattern of Conservative Court Rulings
The Supreme Court, with its 6-3 conservative majority, has recently favoured religious interests over LGBTQIA+ protections in several high-profile cases.
In 2023, the Court declined to hear a similar challenge to Washington state’s conversion therapy ban. However, three conservative Justices, Thomas, Alito, and Kavanaugh, disagreed with this decision.
We must stay alert to how this case develops, as it’s part of a broader trend of legal challenges targeting LGBTQIA+ rights.
While Colorado fights this battle domestically, countries like Canada, France, Germany, and New Zealand have already enacted nationwide bans on conversion therapy.
