Aug 27, 07:23 PM

Supreme Court Pressed to Uphold State Bans on Conversion Therapy for Youth

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that will determine whether states may continue to prohibit conversion therapy for minors, a practice critics say is medically discredited and harmful. Ahead of oral arguments, a coalition of 186 Democratic members of the House—led by Representatives Ted Lieu and Mark Takano and joined by Senator Jeff Merkley—filed an amicus brief urging the Court to uphold existing state prohibitions. The lawmakers argue that the restrictions are vital to protecting young LGBTQ+ people from practices they describe as abusive and ineffective. Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown and a multistate group of attorneys general also submitted a brief defending Colorado’s ban, warning that conversion therapy increases risks of suicide and depression among children. The case could set a nationwide precedent on whether states can regulate or bar the treatment.