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On September 22, 2025, the California Supreme Court made a landmark decision to uphold a state law banning conversion therapy for minors. The law, which was first passed in 2012, prohibits licensed therapists from attempting to change a minor's sexual orientation or gender identity through the use of conversion therapy.Conversion therapy, also known as "reparative therapy" or "ex-gay therapy," has been widely denounced by medical professionals and mental health experts as harmful and ineffective. The practice has been linked to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide among LGBTQ individuals who have undergone it.The challenge to the law was brought by a group of therapists who argued that it violated their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion. However, the California Supreme Court ruled in a 5-2 decision that the state's interest in protecting minors from harm outweighed the therapists' rights to engage in harmful practices.In the majority opinion, Justice Maria Rodriguez wrote, "The state has a compelling interest in protecting minors from the significant harms associated with conversion therapy. The practice has been discredited by medical experts and has no place in a state that values the well-being of all its citizens, including LGBTQ youth."The decision was hailed as a major victory for LGBTQ rights advocates and mental health professionals who have long been advocating for the ban on conversion therapy. California is now one of 20 states that have passed laws banning the practice for minors.In response to the ruling, Governor Gavin Newsom released a statement saying, "I applaud the California Supreme Court for upholding our state's ban on conversion therapy. No child should be subjected to harmful and discredited practices that seek to change their fundamental identity. Today's decision reaffirms California's commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of all of our young people."Overall, the decision by the California Supreme Court to uphold the ban on conversion therapy for minors marks a significant step forward in the fight for LGBTQ equality and the protection of vulnerable youth in the state.