Washington (Act AP) — supreme court is scheduled to hear arguments in its latest LGBTQ+ rights lawsuit on Tuesday, and will consider the constitutionality of the ban on conduct known as child conversion therapy passed in almost half of the US states.
The judges Listen to the lawsuit A message from a Christian counselor challenging Colorado law banning therapy aimed at changing sexual orientation and gender identity. Kayley Childs, supported by President Donald Trump’s Republican administration, argues that the law prohibits children from providing voluntary, faith-based therapy and violates freedom of speech.
Meanwhile, Colorado argues that the measure is not scientifically trusted and is merely regulating certified therapists by banning actions that lead to serious harm.
The argument comes months after the conservative majority of the Supreme Court ruled. The state can ban it Transition-related healthcare for transgender youth, setbacks in LGBTQ rights. The judges will also be seeking the following cases: Sports participation This season, it will be done by transgender players.
The state says treatment is medical and subject to regulation
Colorado has not sanctioned anyone under the 2019 law exempting religious service. State Attorneys say the system still allows therapists to have a wide range of faith-based conversations about gender and sexuality with younger patients.
“The only thing the law prohibits therapists from doing is to provide treatment that requires a pre-determined outcome, which involves changing the sexual orientation and gender identity of a minor, because that treatment is not safe and ineffective,” the Colorado Attorney wrote.
They said treatment is not merely speech, but medical care is the responsibility of the government to regulate it. Violating the law could result in a $5,000 fine, a license suspension or even a revocation.
Linda Robertson is the mother of four children from Washington. Son Ryan He came out to her at age 12 and then received therapy to change his sexual orientation. This technique led him to blame himself when it didn’t work, causing him to feel embarrassed and depressed. He died in 2009 at the age of 20 after multiple suicide attempts and drug overdose.
“What happened with conversion therapy has destroyed the bond between Ryan and me and my husband,” she said. “And it completely shattered his confidence that he would be loved and accepted by God.”
Chiliz argues that her approach is different from the kind of conversion therapy that was associated with practices such as shock therapy decades ago. She said she believes that “people thrive when they live consistently in line with God’s plan, including biological sex,” and argued that there is a lack of evidence that her approach can do harm.
Chiliz acknowledges that Colorado affirms counselors that minors come out as gay or transgender, but argues that it is discriminatory because it prohibits counselling like her to younger patients who want to change their behavior and feelings. “We’re not saying that this counseling should be a duty, but anyone who wants to do it should be available,” said Jonathan Scruggs, one of her attorneys.
The Trump administration said Colorado’s law has a First Amendment issue and that the bill should be subject to a higher legal standard that rarely passes.
Similar laws are also being contested in courts.
Chile is represented by the Freedom Alliance, a conservative legal group that has frequently appeared in court in recent years. The group was also representative of Christian website designers who did not want to work with same-sex couples. I was able to try it safely The Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act will come into effect in 2023.
The group’s claims in the conversion therapy litigation are also based on another victory in 2018. The Supreme Court ruling ruled that California cannot force state-sanctioned anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers to provide information on abortion. The group argued that Chile should also be freed from that kind of national regulations.
Still, the Supreme Court has ruled that regulations that simply put a “accidental” burden on speech are acceptable, and states argue that repealing state laws on conversion therapy undermines states’ ability to regulate all kinds of unreliable healthcare.
After Denver’s 10th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law, the High Court agreed to hear the case. Another court of appeals, the 11th Circuit of Atlanta, has revoked a similar ban in Florida.
Legal disputes continue elsewhere. In Wisconsinthe state’s Supreme Court recently paved the way for the state to enforce a ban. In contrast, Virginia officials agreed to reduce the enforcement of the law as part of an agreement with the faith-based conservative group that filed the lawsuit.
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