Clarence Thomas Rails Against Ban on LGBTQ Conversion Therapy
Supreme Court denied to take up an argument involving a ban on LGBTQ+ conversion therapy for minors in Washington state on Monday and Justice Clarence Thomas railed against the decision in a dissenting opinion.The Supreme Court said in a filing this week that they are denying to hear arguments relating to a case in Washington state, where Brian Tingley, filed a lawsuit alleging that the state's ban on LGBTQ+ conversion therapy for minors violates his First Amendment right of free speech.According to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), conversion therapy is defined as "any attempt to change a person's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression." Over the past several months, many conservatives have criticized members of the LGBTQ+ community and have called for boycotts against companies that partner with members of this community.However, Justice Thomas issued a lengthy dissenting opinion to the decision saying, "There is a fierce public debate over how best to help minors with gender dysphoria.
The petitioner, Brian Tingley, stands on one side of the divide. He believes that a person's sex is 'a gift from God, integral to our very being.'""The State of Washington is on the other side of the divide.
Its view is that the State should 'protec[t] its minors against exposure to serious harms caused by' counseling to change a minor's gender identity, Note, Wash.
Rev. Code §18.130.180 (2018), and, as a result, that counselors should only affirm a minor's chosen gender identity," Thomas said in his dissenting opinion."Proponents of conversion therapy often intentionally conflate the attempted altering of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression with the treatment of an actual condition such as sexual addiction," GLAAD said.According to NBC, Tingley's lawyers said that he believes "that the sex each person receives at conception is not an accident or error but rather a gift from God." NBC also reported that Washington is.
