A Virginia court has struck down the state’s 2020 ban on so-called “conversion therapy,” delivering a significant victory to Christian counselors and free speech advocates who argued the law violated religious liberty.
The July 1 ruling sided with John and Janet Raymond, licensed Christian counselors who filed suit after being barred from offering voluntary, faith-based talk therapy to minors dealing with unwanted same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria.
“This is a major victory for free speech, religious freedom, and parental rights in Virginia,” the Founding Freedoms Law Center (FFLC), which represented the Raymonds, said. “We are honored to stand with John and Janet Raymond, who had the courage to take on this fight.”
“And most of all,” the statement continued, “we thank God for providing this favorable result to protect the conscience of every Virginia counselor.”
The now-defunct law, enacted under former Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam, prohibited licensed professionals from engaging in practices that “seek to challenge an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity,” even when requested by the client, according to court documents.
In the suit, FFLC argued that the Raymonds offer only “talk therapy” — conversations, prayer, and Scripture-based guidance — and that the law’s effect was to silence that speech.
“Talk therapy consists of voluntary conversations, prayer, and sharing of written materials such as Scripture between a counselor and client. Both the intention and effect of this law were to prevent such talk therapy from happening,” FFLC said.
The court’s decision applies statewide and affects all licensed counselors in Virginia.
The decision is set to take effect in 21 days unless the state appeals, which Democratic Sen. Scott Surovell of Fairfax said is likely.
The case comes amid a broader legal battle over “conversion therapy” bans, which critics argue selectively target Christian practitioners and suppress traditional religious teachings.
CatholicVote and other faith-based groups are urging the Supreme Court to strike down a similar Colorado law, warning that it promotes progressive theology while censoring traditional religious beliefs.
The post Virginia’s ‘conversion therapy’ ban ruled unconstitutional in free speech victory appeared first on CatholicVote org.
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Author: Elise DeGeeter
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