As 2019 comes to a close, The Trevor Project continues to advocate for LGBTQ youth in America’s courts. Today we submitted an amicus brief at the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Doyle v. Hogan defending Maryland’s law protecting youth from the dangerous and discredited practice of conversion therapy.
In this case, Doyle is an infamous conversion therapist based in northern Virginia; Hogan is Governor Hogan, who signed Maryland’s bill protecting the state’s youth into law in 2018. Earlier this year, a federal district court upheld the law as constitutional — we were proud to submit a friend-of-the-court brief then, as well.
Our current brief, in addition to citing The Trevor Project’s direct experience serving LGBTQ youth who contact us after being subjected to conversion therapy and data from our 2019 LGBTQ Youth Mental Health Survey, has been updated to include the latest social science research published in the American Journal of Public Health and JAMA Psychiatry regarding the dangers of conversion therapy aimed at an individual’s gender identity. From personal stories to rigorous scientific surveys, the evidence is clear — protecting youth from conversion therapy is an important part of preserving LGBTQ mental health.
The Trevor Project was represented in this matter by pro bono counsel from Gibson Dunn, including Stuart Delery, Lora MacDonald, Corey Singer, and Dione Garlick.
