Judge says Tampa conversion therapy ban violates First Amendment free-speech rights – The Washington Post
A federal magistrate judge this week recommended that a ban on conversion therapy in Tampa be partially blocked, arguing it violates therapists’ free-speech rights under the First Amendment.A pair of licensed marriage and family therapists, along with a Christian ministry organization, sued the city of Tampa over an ordinance adopted in April 2017 that barred mental health professionals from subjecting minors to conversion therapy, a highly controversial practice that attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.The therapists, represented by the conservative Christian legal advocacy group Liberty Counsel, argued that the ordinance was unconstitutional because it prohibited them from taking part in “speech” through their counseling, simply because city officials disagree with the content of that speech.
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