The Supreme Court’s conservative majority signaled today that it is likely to strike down a Colorado law banning conversion therapy for minors. This decision, expected by June, puts the safety and well-being of LGBTQ+ youth at risk in over 20 states that have similar legal protections.
The case, Chiles v. Salazar, pits a Christian therapist’s claim of First Amendment free speech against the state’s right to protect children from a widely discredited practice. Major medical organizations condemn conversion therapy, linking it to increased rates of depression and suicide attempts.
During oral arguments, conservative justices expressed concern that the law constitutes “viewpoint discrimination” because it allows therapists to affirm a minor’s LGBTQ+ identity but bans efforts to change it.
The outcome could gut state laws designed to protect vulnerable youth from harmful, anti-LGBTQ+ practices.
The ruling will decide whether states can regulate licensed professionals who use therapy to inflict psychological harm under the guise of religious belief.
