LANSING, Mich., April 16, 2025 — Attorneys General in 11 states have filed a brief in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in another attempt to reverse Michigan’s ban on conversion therapy. Public Acts 117 and 118 of 2023 prohibit mental health professionals from performing conversion therapy on a minor and ban any practice or treatments by licensed mental health professionals who seek to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity in conflict with the person’s true preference and identity. PA 117 sponsor state Rep. Jason Hoskins (D-Southfield) issued the following statement about the latest development in this lawsuit:
“Conversion therapy is a sham — a dangerous and discredited practice that’s caused real harm to countless people. No one should ever be told they need to be ‘cured’ for simply being themselves. Who you love or how you identify is not an illness — it’s part of your humanity. The fight to ban conversion therapy in Michigan was about protecting kids from trauma, from shame and from the lie that something is wrong with them. I was proud to sponsor one of the bills that made that ban a reality, because every child deserves to grow up knowing they are worthy, loved and accepted. While families are working harder than ever just to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads, our focus should be on solutions that ease those burdens — not distractions that divide us.”