Political and Legislative
Federal Appeals Court Voted to Uphold Washington State’s Conversion Therapy Ban
A federal appeals court this week voted to uphold a Washington state law preventing state-licensed mental health care providers from practicing so-called conversion therapy on minor patients.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday unanimously upheld the state’s ban on conversion therapy, ruling that the state legislature had acted rationally in 2018 when it passed legislation that bars physicians from seeking to change a minor’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Brian Tingley, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Washington state, had challenged the law in a complaint filed last year, arguing that it violated his rights under the U.S. Constitution and was “unconstitutionally vague” under the 14th Amendment.
