Trump Appointed Judges Strike Down Ban on Conversion Therapy
A federal appeals court today overturned a lower court ruling and struck down local ordinances prohibiting licensed therapists from practicing the debunked “conversion therapy” on minors. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit issued a 2-1 opinion overturning Otto v. City of Boca Rotan, citing violations of First Amendment protections on freedom of speech in their decision. The majority opinion written by two Trump-appoint jurists was met with widespread opposition and concern from medical experts and the LGBTQ+ community.
“Conversion therapy is fraud,” Amit Paley, chief executive officer and executive director of Trevor Project, tells Out in a statement. “No matter how hard you try, you cannot change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. This so-called therapy has only ever proven to produce negative mental health outcomes and increase the risk of suicide.”Disgusted at a ruling that would allow torture to exist as a protected 1st amendment right. And of course it would be 2 of the Trump appointed judges in the majority ruling. This is why so many LGBT were voting as if their lives depended on it this election. And the thought that these people that Mitch has rammed onto the courts will be making decisions about our lives for generations is horrifying.Both judges were appointed by Trump, and Lagao had been mentioned as a possible replacement for the late Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who passed away earlier this year. Her seat instead went to Amy Coney Barrett.
“Mitch McConnell and the Senate GOP have packed the lower courts with judges who are committed to undermining LGBTQ+ rights,” tweeted Mondaire Jones, the U.S. Representative-elect who will make history as one of the first Black gay congressman upon taking office in January. “They’ll be handing down decisions like these, which condemn LGBTQ+ youth to torture, long after Donald Trump leaves office.”
Conversion therapy is evil full stop. That we as Americans cannot agree on that is disgusting.