EMERGENCY RALLY AT STONEWALL NATIONAL MONUMENT DRAWS ADVOCATES AND ‘CONVERSION THERAPY’ SURVIVORS AFTER SUPREME COURT RULING
New York, New York – Thursday, April 2, 2026 — Yesterday, LGBTQ community advocates, “conversion therapy” survivors, and local leaders gathered at the historic Stonewall National Monument for an emergency community response rally following the Supreme Court’s decision (Chiles v. Salazar) to strike down Colorado’s ban on so-called “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ minors.
The rally brought together voices from across advocacy, healthcare, community leadership, and public life to denounce the ruling and call for renewed protections for LGBTQ youth nationwide. Speakers emphasized that conversion therapy remains a widely discredited and harmful practice, despite the Court’s decision to prioritize arguments around “professional speech.”
Speakers included:
- Mathew Shurka, Co-founder of Born Perfect and a leading national advocate working to end conversion therapy in the United States. Amicus for Chiles v. Salazar.
- Marti Cummings, New York City-based drag artist, political figure, and host of Stage Fright
- Tim Schraeder Rodriguez, conversion therapy survivor, national advocate, and author of Conversion Therapy Dropout (May 5, 2026)
- Qween Amor, TGNCNB activist and R.N.
- Brian Romero, candidate for New York State Assembly, District 34
- Jay W. Walker, President of Gays Against Guns and co-founder of the Queer Liberation March
- Stacy Lentz, co-owner, The Stonewall Inn, Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative CEO
Speakers addressed the broader implications of the Court’s ruling, warning that it could weaken protections for LGBTQ youth across the country and embolden efforts to reintroduce or expand conversion therapy practices under the guise of care or religious freedom.
The rally also served as a moment of visibility and solidarity, centering survivor voices and reinforcing a unified message: conversion therapy is harmful, discredited, and must be rejected.
Held at the Stonewall National Monument — a site synonymous with LGBTQ resistance and progress — the gathering underscored the enduring urgency of protecting LGBTQ lives and ensuring that history does not repeat itself.
CLEARED PRESS ELEMENTS:
Photography by Chela Crinnion
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Photography by Donna Aceto
PRESS CONTACT:
Tony Morrison
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