California Attorney General Rob Bonta has joined 18 other attorneys general, and has filed an amicus brief in support of Michigan in the case of Catholic Charities v. Whitmer.
The lawsuit challenges Michigan’s recent ban on licensed healthcare providers offering conversion therapy to minors—a controversial practice aimed at altering an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
The coalition’s brief argues that conversion therapy is both unsafe and ineffective, posing serious risks to minors, including heightened risks of suicide and depression.
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“No child should ever be subjected to harmful, non-evidence-based practices for simply being who they are,” said Attorney General Bonta, reaffirming California’s commitment to protecting LGBTQ+ youth from such discredited practices.
Michigan’s ban on conversion therapy for minors, enacted in February 2024, targets mental health professionals, including physicians, psychologists, and counselors.
The medical consensus is clear: conversion therapy is ineffective and significantly increases the risk of lifelong mental health issues. California was the first state to ban conversion therapy for minors with the passage of SB 1172 in 2012. Since then, more than 23 states and the District of Columbia have implemented similar laws.
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The amicus brief highlights several key points:
- The First Amendment does not shield mental health professionals from adhering to established standards of care.
- States have laws in place to protect children from harmful practices.
- States possess the constitutional right to regulate healthcare professionals to safeguard children’s well-being.
- Regulation of healthcare treatments is both lawful and necessary.
The brief also underscores research demonstrating the harmful effects of conversion therapy on LGBTQ+ minors, including higher rates of depression, suicidal thoughts, lower educational achievement, and reduced income.
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One study cited in the brief found that lesbian, gay, and bisexual minors subjected to conversion therapy were nearly three times more likely to attempt suicide compared to those who were not. Another study reported that over 60% of transgender children who underwent gender identity change efforts before the age of 10 attempted suicide.
Attorney General Bonta joins his counterparts from Washington, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin in this legal action.
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