FBANC Statement on the U.S. Supreme Court’s Decision on Conversion Therapy (Chiles v. Salazar)

April 4, 2026

The Filipino Bar Association of Northern California (“FBANC”)  expresses deep concern over the recent 8-1 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in Chiles v. Salazar. The decision undermines protections for LGBTQI+ youth by recognizing “conversion therapy” as a legitimate form of talk therapy and, more harrowingly, as a form of protected speech under the First Amendment. This week’s ruling permits providers who offer “cruel” speech-based therapies or use speech that causes lasting emotional harm—such as shame, guilt, negative self-perception, and damage to patients’ well-being—to justify their practices as free speech under the First Amendment, even when state laws prohibit them. This ruling raises important questions about whether states can effectively pass and enforce laws to protect LGBTQI+ youth and other vulnerable groups from harmful and discredited therapies. 

FBANC supports Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s opposition to speech-only therapies that serve as “conversion therapy.” As Justice Jackson’s dissent states, “conversion therapy” has been widely rejected by leading medical and mental health organizations as harmful and ineffective, especially for minors. These methods are not only scientifically unsupported and ineffective but also cause lasting psychological harm, such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. They are based on false assumptions and promote the dangerous, unproven idea that gender identity or sexuality must be fixed instead of accepted. 

This week’s ruling threatens to invalidate laws in about two dozen states, including California, that ban mental health therapists from using talk therapy aimed at changing a teenager's sexual orientation or gender identity. The Court’s decision weakens states' ability to enforce laws grounded in a strong medical consensus intended to protect young people's health and well-being, framing these protections as restrictions on speech. This could undermine regulations on licensed medical professionals and standards for evidence-based care.

“While the First Amendment protects the free exchange of ideas, it should not be used to justify practices that the medical and scientific community have long recognized as harmful,” said FBANC LGBTQI+ Committee Chairs. “This decision risks eroding critical safeguards for LGBTQI+ youth and blurs the line between protected speech and professional responsibility.”

FBANC praises Justice Jackson’s dissent, warning that the Court may be opening the door to unprofessional and unsafe medical care from providers who are effectively unregulated. FBANC shares Justice Jackson’s concern that, for the first time, the Supreme Court has interpreted the First Amendment to protect practices that could harm LGBTQI+ youths by limiting the ability of the state to regulate medical providers who use speech in treatment.   

With this week’s decision, FBANC urges states and communities to continue their dedication to protecting LGBTQI+ youth through increased resources, advocacy, and the enactment of laws that support gender-affirming care and ban all forms of "conversion therapy."

Since its inception, FBANC has championed diversity, equity, and inclusion within the legal profession and in the communities it serves. FBANC remains steadfast in its commitment to stand in solidarity with its LGBTQI+ members and the queer and transgender communities by denouncing all forms of discrimination and harm to the health, dignity, and safety of LGBTQI+ individuals. We urge our community to support continued advocacy efforts that center LGBTQI+ individuals, protect evidence-based standards of care, and uphold the fundamental responsibility to uplift those most vulnerable. 

For anyone who needs support at this time, we recommend the following organizations and resources: 

• The Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/

• National Center for LGBTQ Rights: https://www.nclrights.org/

• San Francisco LGBT Center: https://www.sfcenter.org/

• Pacific Center for Human Growth: https://www.pacificcenter.org/

• Transgender Law Center: https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

• Oakland LGBTQ Community Center: https://www.oaklandlgbtqcenter.org/

FBANC Statement in Solidarity with the LGBTQ Community

June 16, 2020

The Filipino Bar Association of Northern California (FBANC) applauds the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 15, 2020 ruling on LGBTQ worker protections in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia.  In Bostock, the Supreme Court held that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which forbids discrimination “because of sex,” applies to LGBTQ+ employees. This landmark decision extends federal workplace protections for all LGBTQ+ employees who reside in areas where state and local laws do not already prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. 

“While it is important to celebrate the Supreme Court’s landmark decision extending federal workplace protections to LGBTQ+ employees, it is also crucial to stand up against the attack on civil rights that curtail access of members of the LGBTQ+ community to critical health protections,” said Mari Bandoma Callado, President of FBANC. 

Since its inception, FBANC has championed diversity within the legal profession and for the community it serves. As leaders in our community, we hold a continued commitment to fight against bigotry and intolerance.  FBANC will not stand idly by when members of our community are denied basic human rights and healthcare.   FBANC stands against a new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services administrative rule enacted on June 12, 2020, which narrows the legal definition of sex discrimination in the Affordable Care Act, omitting protections for queer and transgender people, as well as those who are seeking to or have had an abortion.

FBANC stands in solidarity with the LGBTQ community especially in the midst of this pandemic when communities are most vulnerable. This most recent attack on LGBTQ rights was instituted specifically during Pride Month (June), and on the fourth anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub massacre, an incident involving the death of 49 victims, including queer and transgender individuals.  FBANC urges you to donate and support reputable organizations in the fight against the erasure of LGBTQ rights.  

Contact Mari Bandoma Callado, FBANC President maribandoma@fbanc.org and/or FBANC Vice President and LGBT Committee Chair Raymond Rollan raymondrollan@fbanc.org for more information and/or to join FBANC’s LGBTQ Committee.