Kristen Wagoner

Colorado's description of conversion therapy is very misleading, and I think intentionally so.

It actually, in the statute itself, defines conversion therapy as including any practice that you engage in that helps a client lessen their behaviors or change their behaviors, their affections, their attractions.

And so it includes just simple conversations that we know the science says people benefit from.

Kids need to be heard and be able to talk through things.

And that is actually labeled as conversion therapy in this law.

You can't lump things in that are different.

And again, Kaylee's counseling is simply listening and talking as are a number of therapists that are out there trying to help these kids navigate this issue.

Colorado is saying, look, if you have a client that comes to you, a minor in this case, who's voluntarily wanting to be listened to and to talk to, and they say, I'm uncomfortable with my body.

Can you help me align my identity with my biological sex?

Colorado says it has the power to censor those conversations and say, you can't even talk about that unless you help them transition to the opposite sex.

It's blatant viewpoint discrimination and violates the First Amendment.

It is a one-way ratchet that is designed to push kids down a radical path.

And what the science tells us, and even what has uncontested in this case, is that 90% of kids who are allowed to just go through puberty, who are experiencing gender dysphoria, but they naturally grow comfortable with their bodies naturally.

But if instead you socially transition them, 97% of those kids will become lifelong medical patients and struggle with their biological sex for the rest of their lives.

Not only does Colorado fail to prove that its law is necessary or that simply talking and listening to kids causes harm, but actually the evidence shows the opposite.

Lots of kids are being harmed because they can't get the help they need.

We have no facts about that in this case, but I wouldn't disagree that that's possible.

We are calling on these medical organizations of the United States, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Endocrine Society, the Pediatric Endocrine Society, the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry to follow the science and their European colleagues and immediately stop the promotion of social affirmation, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries for children

and adolescents who experience distress over their biological sex.

We are here defying the claims made by these medical organizations in the U.S.