Michigan Court Blocks State Ban on Conversion Therapy

A district court judge issued a permanent order preventing Michigan from enforcing its 2023 law that prohibited “conversion therapy” for minors. The state agreed to obey the order, effectively halting the ban.

The court found the law violated the First Amendment by compelling therapists to affirm transgender identities, allowing counselors to provide talk‑therapy that aligns with a patient’s biological sex. Attorney Luke Goodrich of the religious‑freedom firm Becket said the decision protects children and restores “compassionate, scientifically based counseling.” The ban had been signed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in July 2023.