UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt's Statement on Chiles vs. Salazar Ruling 'Conversion therapy' is a kind of religious malpractice; UUs will continue to protect LGBTQI+ rights

Below please find the statement from Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt, the Unitarian Universalist Association’s (UUA) President, regarding the Supreme Court’s Chiles vs. Salazar ruling on March 31, 2026:

“‘Conversion therapy’ is not only medically spurious, its history is inseparable from a kind of religious malpractice that tells LGBTQI+ people that something about them is inherently depraved and in need of fixing.

Unitarian Universalism unequivocally declares that all people are born beloved and whole as a matter of our religious faith and values, and the beautiful diversity of sexualities and gender identities that we contain are sacred gifts to be honored, affirmed, and protected. As a tradition with a decades-long history of fighting for full rights, inclusion, and affirmation of LGBTQI+ people within our faith and in the larger world, UUs reject any practice that suggests gender or sexuality are defects to be corrected, rather than the profound expressions of divine love and blessing that they are. The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) will continue our work protecting the rights of LGBTQI+ people in the United States.”

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