The nation’s highest court delivered a significant ruling Tuesday, striking down Colorado’s prohibition on so-called conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ youth by an 8-1 margin. Colorado is among approximately two dozen states that have outlawed the widely discredited practice.
The court’s overwhelming majority supported Christian counselor Kaley Chiles, who challenged the state’s restrictions on talk therapy as a violation of First Amendment protections. The justices determined the legislation presents free speech issues and returned the case to lower courts to evaluate whether it can meet a stringent legal test that most laws fail to satisfy.
This decision continues a pattern of recent Supreme Court cases where justices have supported religious discrimination claims while showing skepticism toward LGBTQ rights protections.
Chiles, backed by President Donald Trump’s Republican administration, maintained that the state law improperly prevents her from providing voluntary, faith-based counseling services to minors. She argues her methods differ from historical conversion therapy techniques such as shock treatment. Her legal team claimed the prohibition makes it difficult for parents to locate therapists willing to explore gender identity issues with children unless the counseling supports transitioning.
Colorado pushed back against these arguments, stating its legislation permits broad discussions about gender identity and sexual orientation while providing exemptions for religious ministries. State officials emphasized the law only prohibits therapeutic attempts to change LGBTQ individuals into heterosexuality or conventional gender roles – practices that medical experts have debunked and connected to significant psychological damage.
Colorado maintained the law doesn’t infringe on First Amendment protections because therapeutic services differ from other forms of expression, representing healthcare that falls under state regulatory authority.
The 2019 legislation includes potential penalties of fines and professional license suspension, though no enforcement actions have occurred. Legal experts anticipate this ruling will ultimately render comparable laws in other states unenforceable.
The Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal advocacy group with frequent Supreme Court appearances, represented Chiles. This same organization previously represented a Christian web designer who successfully challenged Colorado’s anti-discrimination statutes after refusing services to same-sex couples.
