SCOTUS Denies Hearing Tingley v. Ferguson
WoLF is disappointed to learn that the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear the case of Tingley v. Ferguson. The case centered around Washington state's SB 5722, a law that infringes on the rights of therapists and patients by mandating 'affirmation-only' therapy for minors with gender dysphoria.
In May of this year, WoLF submitted an Amicus Brief to SCOTUS describing the harm of this form of “care.” The law effectively bans therapeutic practices that do not affirm a minor's self-declared gender identity, classifying such practices as “conversion therapy” and deeming them unprofessional conduct. This not only violates the First Amendment by coercing therapists into endorsing a specific belief system, but is harmful to the very individuals it purports to protect
WoLF argued that such laws can (ironically) result in a form of modern conversion therapy, where minors, particularly those who are same-sex attracted or gender non-conforming, are pushed towards gender transition — a process that can involve significant medical interventions with lifelong consequences.
Justice Thomas described the situation well in his dissent, writing, “In other words, helping a minor become comfortable with his biological sex is prohibited ‘conversion therapy,’ while encouraging a minor to change his ‘outward, physical traits’ to “alig[n] . . . with [his] gender identity’ is not.”
Moreover, this law effectively bans care for detransitions, a growing population of individuals who come to regret these medical interventions.
Today’s decision by the Supreme Court to not hear the case is a missed opportunity to address these critical issues and safeguard the rights and well-being of minors and professionals in the mental health field. WoLF remains committed to advocating for the rights of women and girls, including gender non-confirming youth and detransitioners, and will continue to seek legal and policy solutions that protect these groups.
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