This Wednesday, Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty will represent Joy Buchman, a licensed mental health professional and owner of a Counseling Center, in a federal lawsuit filed against the City of La Crosse. Last year the city passed a ban on so-called “conversion therapy” for minors. The lawsuit alleges the resolution prevents Ms. Buchman from counseling in a manner consistent with her professional and religious view, especially when counseling regarding sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity, and thus violates her First Amendment rights.
La Crosse is one of thirteen Wisconsin cities that have passed such policies. This is the first lawsuit of its type filed in Wisconsin, but recently counselors like Ms Buchman have won in similar federal lawsuits in Florida, with a city and a county even having to pay fines to the counselors involved. It’s great that Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty is involved.