Source: The Trevor Project
For some residents, a decision made by the U.S. Supreme Court on March 31 raised concerns about the future of protections for minors, particularly in states such as Texas, where no statewide ban on conversion therapy exists.
The ruling, tied to Kaley Chiles v. Salazar, raised a First Amendment challenge to Colorado’s laws on conversion therapy for minors as it applied to Chiles’ talk therapy.
In its decision, the Supreme Court found that Colorado’s law violated the First Amendment, particularly regarding whether restricting a licensed counselor’s speech in therapy constitutes an unconstitutional limitation on free speech.
“It’s a huge mistake,” said Qing Zeng, a UTRGV psychology of gender lecturer. “Homosexuality is not a mental disorder. It’s just as natural as a heterosexual being. So, there is no need to … treat it as a mental disorder, and there’s no need for conversion.”
Cindy Ruiz, president of the Intersectional Feminist Student Organization at UTRGV, said she views the decision as harmful to LGBTQ+ youth.
“I interpreted it as an attack directly to the [LGBTQ+] community, especially because the conversion therapy in itself is considered torture even on today,” Ruiz said.
She said she believes the practice causes long-term psychological harm.
“These [types] of things are always going to be traumatizing to the victim,” Ruiz said. “Unfortunately, there is a chance that, now … certain types of parents would use this [ruling] to send their children [to conversion therapy].”
A study published on July 20, 2020, by the American Journal of Public Health found that LGBTQ+ individuals who underwent conversion therapy were more than twice as likely to attempt suicide compared to those who did not.
Dayana Hernandez, a visual communication design sophomore, said she feels the decision will “cause issues” in Texas.
“Historically, the north has always been more progressive and, if [the Supreme Court] can prevent [the Colorado ban], it will definitely be an issue down here in Texas,” Hernandez said. “There’ll probably be way more push towards keeping conversion therapy still active.”
Zeng described the issue as a part of a pattern of legal decisions that may later be reconsidered.
“I think that the [LGBTQ+] community will be harmed by this,” she said. “This is not the first time that the Supreme [Court’s decisions] can go wrong.”
SCOTUS sent the case back to a lower court to determine whether the law can meet the heightened legal standard.
“I think it’s ridiculous that … the Supreme Court used the … First Amendment [as justification],” Zeng said. “It’s not a disease. … What you need to do is just help the individual … understand themselves and accept themselves.”
A February 2021 article by the American Psychological Association found that exposure to conversion therapy is associated with significantly higher rates of depression, psychological distress and “was the strongest predictor of multiple suicide attempts, even after adjustment for other known risk factors.”
Despite the concerns, Ruiz encouraged community engagement and awareness. She urged students to stay informed and involved, noting local organizations, such as the RGV Queer Run Club and the South Texas Equality Project, provide support and advocacy opportunities.
“As long as we have information and as long as we can communicate with each other, we will be OK,” Ruiz said. “Staying alert and [students] following their social media … and making sure to keep up with the legislation … is always good.”
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