US EditionMajority of Court Appears Skeptical of Colorado’s “Conversion Therapy” Ban
The Supreme Court reviewed Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy amid evidence that 99.9% of participants do not experience orientation change, with debates over parental and religious influence.
- The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard arguments challenging Colorado's ban on conversion therapy for minors, with justices appearing likely to side with Kaley Chiles, Christian counselor, on First Amendment grounds.
- Colorado's Minor Conversion Therapy Law bars licensed therapists from attempting to change a minor's sexual orientation or gender identity, exempts religious ministries, and no one has been sanctioned under the law.
- Justice Elena Kagan warned, `If a doctor says, 'I know you identify as gay, and I'm going to help you accept that,' and another doctor says, 'I know you identify is gay, and I'm going to help you to change that,' and one of those is permissible, and the other is not, that seems like viewpoint discrimination,' while ex-leaders of the conversion movement said the practice is ineffective and causes harm.
- A ruling against Colorado could nullify bans in nearly half of U.S. states and reinforce judicial trends favoring religious freedom; the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule by June 2026.
- A broad reading of free-speech protections could limit state regulators in health and education sectors, affecting climate science communication and misinformation policing as lower courts remain split.
15 Articles
15 Articles
SCOTUS dispatch: justices see speech concerns in conversion therapy ban, but path forward unclear
Chloe Miracle-Rutledge is a JURIST Supreme Court Correspondent and a 2L at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, DC. On Tuesday morning, the second day of the Supreme Court’s new term, I went to the United States Supreme Court to attend oral argument for Chiles v. Salazar—a case about a Christian counselor’s First Amendment challenge to Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy for minors. Given the case’s focus on LGBTQ rights and conserv…
Supreme Court Hears Colorado ‘Conversion Therapy’ Censorship Case
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday, asking if a Colorado law unconstitutionally censors the free speech of licensed counselors. Colorado passed HB19-1129, the “Prohibit Conversion Therapy for a Minor Act,” in 2019, prohibiting licensed mental health professionals from offering therapy “to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or redu…
Is conversion therapy free speech?
Imagine a conservative state bans therapists from talking to gay or transgender minors in a way that affirms their sexual orientation or gender identity. That would cross a line, right? Whatever conservative lawmakers personally think about homosexuality or gender dysphoria, preventing LGBTQ-affirming counseling is an affront to the First Amendment. For this same reason, Colorado's ban on conversion therapy should be opposed. It's one thing to p…
Dispatch Argus
News & RecordJustices skeptical of ban on 'conversion therapy'
WASHINGTON — A majority of Supreme Court justices on Tuesday seemed likely to side with a Christian counselor challenging bans on LGBTQ+ "conversion therapy" for kids as a violation of her First Amendment rights.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 45% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
