In a case poised to reshape the legal landscape for LGBTQ+ rights, the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a challenge to Colorado’s law banning conversion therapy for minors. This decision places the controversial and widely discredited practice at the center of a national debate over free speech, medical ethics, and the protection of vulnerable youth.
What Is Conversion Therapy?
Conversion therapy refers to any practice or treatment by a licensed therapist that aims to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Major medical and mental health organizations—including the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics—have uniformly condemned it as ineffective and harmful. Studies have linked it to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide among LGBTQ+ youth.
Colorado’s Law and the Legal Challenge
Colorado’s law, which prohibits licensed health professionals from practicing conversion therapy on children and youth, was enacted to protect minors from this dangerous practice . However, a licensed counselor has challenged the law, arguing that it violates their First Amendment right to free speech . The core of the legal question before the Supreme Court is whether conversion therapy constitutes protected speech or an unregulated medical practice .
Where Do Other States Stand?
Colorado is not alone. More than 20 other states have enacted similar bans to shield their young residents from this harmful practice. In a show of solidarity, a coalition of state attorneys general, led by Washington’s Nick Brown, filed an amicus brief at the Supreme Court in defense of the Colorado law .
What’s at Stake?
The Court’s ruling could have far-reaching consequences. If the justices rule that conversion therapy is a form of protected speech, it could invalidate similar bans across the country, leaving countless young people at risk . Conversely, a decision upholding Colorado’s law would affirm the government’s authority to regulate professional conduct to protect public health and safety.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has been a staunch defender of the law, recently filing a brief with the Supreme Court to argue its constitutionality . An appeals court had previously upheld the ban, setting the stage for this ultimate legal showdown .
Sources
- The New York Times: Can Conversion Therapy Be Banned? Supreme Court Will Decide on Colorado Law
- Colorado Attorney General’s Office: With case at Supreme Court, Colorado’s Weiser defends conversion therapy ban
- United Press International: Colorado’s Ban on Conversion Therapy Withstands Legal Challenge
- Colorado Attorney General’s Office: AG Campbell Defends Colorado Law Banning Conversion Therapy for Minors
- Washington State Attorney General’s Office: WA leads states supporting Colorado law banning conversion therapy for minors at U.S. Supreme Court
