Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill into law that will ban mental health professionals from counseling minors regarding gender identity or sexual orientation unless the professional affirms feelings of confusion.
The new law does not include counseling that provides assistance to a person undergoing sex-change treatment, or if the counseling provides “acceptance, support or understanding” of an individual or it facilitates a person’s “coping, social support or identity exploration and development.”
Greg Baylor, senior counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom, said the government has no business censoring conversations between patients and counselors.
“HB 4616 jeopardizes constitutionally protected freedom of speech by allowing government officials to insert themselves into private conversations between counselors and their clients,” Baylor said. “Counselors shouldn’t be used as tools to impose the government’s views on their clients, and the government has no right to block clients from receiving counseling that is consistent with their religious beliefs and self-selected counseling goals. ADF will continue to stand for the right of all Americans to speak freely and live according to their beliefs without government interference.”
