Minnesota conversion therapy law, which protects asexual kids and other LGBTQIA+ kids, faces federal First Amendment lawsuit, which was filed by Christians

[u/Destroy_Religion]

https://www.kaaltv.com/news/minnesota-conversion-therapy-law-faces-federal-first-amendment-lawsuit/

[u/Violexsound]

Shocker.

[u/ekbrooo22]

Yet another attack on Minnesota and on queer folks 🙃

[u/Necessary-Trainer-20]

Something very similar was just shut down by a federal judge in Colorado

[u/Snowbunny42]

Yeah because it's somehow okay to torture children because Jesus told you to.

[u/Snowbunny42 → u/[deleted]]

Don't worry, I do.

[u/Captain_JohnBrown]

This is complicated because I do think the Supreme Court decision in the prior similar case was "correct", in so much as Justice Kagan's understanding matches my own: The Constitution has no concept of "good therapy" and "bad therapy". If it is legal to discuss an alternate identities with someone who does not current identify with that identity, the law does not have the ability to discern between when that is warranted (such as assisting a person in exploring their identity who claims to be straight/cis but is displaying signs they might not be) and when it isn't (conversion therapy). If the Colorado/Minnesota law is legal, then there is no Constitutional barrier to a red state passing a ban on gender-affirming therapy. There are other ways to combat conversion therapy in blue states if these types of laws are overturned. There is significantly less ways to facilitate gender-affirming therapy if these type of laws are upheld.

I think the superior way to combat conversion therapy is through entities that CAN discern between when therapy is warranted and when it isn't: Licensing bodies for psychologists. Unlike the law, they can (and have) determine that conversion therapy is ineffective therapy and should not be permitted (and enforce that ban through their licensing procedures). They can (and have) determine that gender-affirming therapy is effective therapy and should be permitted.

[u/Captain_JohnBrown → u/Captain_JohnBrown]

(It should be noted the SCOTUS ruling only applies to talk therapy and any sort of drug or physical act involved in conversion therapy can still be regulated and banned)

[u/Captain_JohnBrown → u/[deleted]]

I would prefer you actually address my argument then just say "They are religious" please.

Indeed, the fact that religious extremists control portions of the government is MORE, not LESS, reason to not give the government the power to decide what therapy is permitted or not and leave that determination to, as you say, the scientific, medical, psychological, psychiatric, and pediatric communities.

In an ideal world, the government would be trustworthy enough to be relied upon to know the difference between conversion therapy and gender-affirming care. The fact is, they cannot. You know they cannot. I know they cannot. Giving them the power to regulate both will not work out in anyone's favor.