A proposed law in California aims to give survivors of so-called conversion therapy significantly more time to take legal action against practitioners. The bill would extend the statute of limitations, potentially by several years or even decades, for individuals to sue for malpractice related to the discredited practice.
Conversion therapy refers to interventions that falsely claim to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. It is widely condemned as dangerous and ineffective by every major medical and mental health body, including the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Medical Association. Research links the practice to severe psychological harm, including profound shame, trauma, depression, and increased risk of suicide among survivors.
California was a pioneer in legislating against the practice, becoming the first US state in 2012 to pass a law (SB 1172) prohibiting licensed therapists from engaging in sexual orientation change efforts with minors. Over twenty other states have since enacted similar protections.
However, the legal landscape shifted following a recent US Supreme Court ruling in a case from Colorado, which cast extreme doubt on the enforceability of such bans. In response, State Senator Scott Wiener, a Democrat, introduced SB 934 late last month.
In a statement, Senator Wiener described conversion therapy as "psychological torture" and emphasised the need for new legal strategies. "With conversion therapy bans facing legal threats from right-wing extremists and a hostile Supreme Court, we must create new strategies to protect LGBTQ youth," he said. "SB 934 provides these safeguards. SB 934 gives them the right to hold charlatans accountable for this debunked torture."
The bill represents an alternative approach to seeking justice and accountability, focusing on empowering survivors through the civil court system as direct legislative bans face judicial challenges.
