Two judges appointed by Donald Trump to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit rule that banning LGBTQ+ conversion therapy for children would violate the First Amendment.
The Trump judges outnumbered a third judge on the decision.
Other courts have upheld such bans to date, including two at the federal appeals level, and the judges who ruled against the Florida bans were both appointees of Donald Trump. The decision applies only to Florida, Georgia, and Alabama — the states in the Eleventh Circuit.
The Advocate
Conversion therapy, intended to turn LGBTQ+ children straight or cisgender, has been deemed ineffective, harmful, and bordering on child abuse by “every major medical and mental health organization” in the United States.
According to the Trevor Project’s research, LGBTQ youth who had undergone conversion therapy were more than twice as likely to report having attempted suicide as those who did not. That’s why this dangerous practice has been discredited by major medical associations and prohibited by several Florida localities. This misguided decision sends a terrible message to the LGBTQ young people of Florida, who want nothing more than to be respected for who they are.
Amit Paley, CEO at Trevor Project
Judge Britt Grant and Judge Barbara Lagoa are the deciding judges. Both were appointed by Trump, and Lagoa was on the Trump team’s shortlist to Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court.
Sources
https://www.advocate.com/news/2020/11/20/conversion-therapy-bans-are-unconstitutional-appeals-court-rules
https://nbc-2.com/news/state/2020/11/20/federal-court-puts-halt-on-conversion-therapy-bans-in-south-florida/
https://media.ca11.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/files/201910604.pdf
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-narrows-scotus-nominee-shortlist-to-five-is-considering-barbara-lagoa/ar-BB19g3l9
Photo: Isi Parente
