NEWS FLASH… Supreme Court

Connecticut is one of a number of states that ban conversion therapy on minors, today the Supreme Court just declined to overturn a Washington state law that ban conversion therapy.

High Court, in declining to weigh conversion therapy ban, allows law to stand
NPR
By Nina Totenberg
December 11, 2023

The U.S. Supreme Court Monday declined to hear a case challenging Washington state's ban on conversion therapy of minors. In doing so, the court left standing a lower court decision that upheld the state's ban on a therapy that the American Medical Association says "is not based on medical and scientific evidence."

The Washington passed law, enacted in 2018, allows the state to revoke the licenses of therapists who try to change a minor's sexual orientation. Brian Tingley, a family counselor and advocate for conversion therapy, challenged the law in court, represented by the anti-LGBTQ Alliance Defending Freedom. He claimed that the law violates his First Amendment right to free speech.

Two lower courts upheld the law.

The court's decision not to hear the case Monday included no reasons, as is standard when it denies a case. But, Justices Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, and Clarence Thomas dissented from the order, and would have heard the case.

The Advocate reported…

In a decisive move affirming the rights and protections of LGBTQ+ youth, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a First Amendment challenge to a Washington State law banning conversion therapy. This ruling upholds measures in Washington and more than 20 other states against a practice aimed at changing a minor’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

his is a Biggie!

Why you ask?

Brian Tingley, a family counselor who challenged the law, was represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian law firm that opposes the rights of LGBTQ+ people. He argued that the law infringed upon his free speech and religious rights. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled against Tingley, stating that the government can regulate the conduct of medical professionals, especially when it concerns the safety of minors.

The Alliance Defending Freedom is the law firm that brought the case here in Connecticut about the trans athletes, which so far the case went against them. That’s two cases that they lost.

NBC News reported what the dissenters had to say,

Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh all said they would have heard the appeal.

Thomas wrote that there is "a fierce public debate over how best to help minors with gender dysphoria" and that the state had "silenced one side of this debate."

In a separate brief opinion, Alito said that the case "presents a question of national importance" that clearly implicates free speech issues.

NPR also added,

In his dissent, Thomas wrote, "Although the Court declines to take this particular case, I have no doubt that the issue it presents will come before the Court again. When it does, the Court should do what it should have done here," take the case "to consider what the First Amendment requires."

Yes… you will see other cases like this wind their was to the Supreme Court, Alliance Defending Freedom will analyze the case and come back again with a tweaked new case.