Catholic therapists in Michigan have teamed up with Becket Law to file a lawsuit against the state, fighting for the right to help to people seeking freedom from gender confusion. Â
They’re aiming to overturn a Michigan law that bans counselors from helping children talk through the underlying causes of their gender dysphoria. Becket says the law instead requires counselors to assist children with a “gender transition.”
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In 2023, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed House Bill 4616 into law. It “amended the Mental Health Code to prohibit a mental health professional from engaging in conversion therapy with a minor. Mental health professionals that do so would be subject to disciplinary action and licensing sanctions.”Â
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This legislation, built upon a measure that was launched in 2021 as an executive directive, bans the use of state and federal funds for the pejoratively mislabeled “conversion therapy” services in the state of Michigan.Â
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In their case, representatives from Becket Law argue that HB 4616, “prohibits counselors from offering minors what the state calls ‘conversion therapy,’ {which} includes helping an individual align her behavior or gender expression with her biological sex.” They also document that the bill states, “counseling that provides assistance to an individual undergoing a gender transition is
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