ST. PAUL, Minn. — On Trans Day of Visibility, in another unprecedented move by the Trump administration and its anti-trans movement, the U.S. Supreme Court today effectively overturned bans on conversion therapy. The 8-1 decision came from Justice Neil Gorsuch.
The Bicameral Minnesota Queer Legislators Caucus released the following statement:
“We are furious and deeply disturbed by today’s ruling. ‘Conversion therapy’ is pseudoscience, not healthcare; it is a practice widely discredited by organizations such as the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. This coercive practice is ineffective and leads to severe harm, including depression, decreased self-esteem, and substance abuse in youth. States have long had the authority to regulate medical and mental health practices to protect patients from harm and fraud.
“It is horrifying to think our queer youth and community members could be subjected to harm and violence that strips them of their dignity and their right to live authentically. The ideology of ‘praying the gay away’ is neither practical nor humane. The data is clear: youth who undergo conversion therapy are more than twice as likely to report attempting suicide. Our communities and our children deserve better than a 'therapy' with no scientific evidence or legitimate research behind it. No young person should be forced to undergo a treatment practice that tells them who they are is wrong.
“In Minnesota, we stand for evidence-based medicine, and believe we must love and accept our youth exactly as they are. The Minnesota Queer Legislators Caucus is committed to dismantling any threat to the safety and dignity of our queer youth. We are actively working with the Attorney General and state agencies to assess the impact of this decision and to defend Minnesota’s protections.”
In 2023, The Minnesota Legislature passed a law to ban ‘conversion therapy’ with bipartisan support. The law prohibits mental health practitioners or mental health professionals from providing conversion therapy to vulnerable adults and clients under age 18 and specifies that such therapy is not covered by medical assistance. The bill also prohibits fraudulent or deceptive advertising practices relating to conversion therapy.
The Minnesota Queer Legislators Caucus is composed of members of the Minnesota State House and Senate who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+. The Queer Caucus works to advance and protect the rights of queer communities as well as the rights of our intersecting communities.
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