“The giving of love is an education in itself.”
As faith leaders of various sexual orientations and gender identities, we recognize that an attack on one of us is an attack on us all. Therefore, we cannot and will not remain silent in the face of injustice towards our LGBTQ+ colleagues, congregants, family, friends, and neighbors.
From Survivors' Stories to the Supreme Court: The Fight Against Conversion Therapy
Thursday, June 18
6:00 PM Virtual Via Zoom
In March 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an 8-1 ruling in Chiles v. Salazar, striking down Colorado's ban on conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ minors on First Amendment grounds — a decision with potentially sweeping consequences for the more than 20 states that have similar protections in place.
What does this ruling mean for LGBTQ+ youth, their families, and people of faith who believe in their dignity and worth? And what can survivors teach us about why this fight matters so deeply?
Join Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice for a timely and important conversation with Lucas Wilson, postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto Mississauga and editor of Shame-Sex Attraction: Survivors' Stories of Conversion Therapy (Jessica Kingsley Publishers). In conversation with Matt Kendziera, Executive Director of Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice, Lucas will share what survivors' stories reveal about the real human cost of conversion therapy — and what communities of faith are called to do in the wake of this landmark ruling.
This webinar will explore:
What the Supreme Court's decision in Chiles v. Salazar actually says — and what it doesn't
The lived experiences of LGBTQ+ survivors of conversion therapy
The role faith communities play in protecting or harming LGBTQ+ youth
What advocates, parents, clergy, and allies can do right now in Wisconsin and beyond
Shame-Sex Attraction is a powerful, unflinching anthology of survivor voices. Their stories are a reminder of what is at stake, and a rallying cry for the work ahead.