The U.S. Supreme Court is considering whether states can prohibit conversion therapy for minors. An evangelical therapist is challenging a Colorado law that she says violates her free speech rights.
If the high court agrees, it could invalidate laws in some two dozen states, including Illinois, which approved a ban in 2015.
Conversion therapy is defined as a treatment used as an attempt to change a person's attraction for same-sex individuals and to cure gender dysphoria.
Mike Ziri is Director of Public Policy for Equality Illinois, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group. He said the laws protect patients.
“Impacted communities know that this law exists and that they have recourse under the law to file a complaint if a therapist unethically engages in conversion therapy practices, coerces someone into conversion therapy practices,” he said.
Conversion therapy has been rejected by every major medical organization in the country who say it doesn’t work and often leads to depression and suicidal thoughts in minors.
The Supreme Court is expected to issue a decision in coming weeks.
