Supreme Court Rejects Colorado Conversion Therapy Ban on Free Speech Grounds
Source: washingtonpost.com
- The Supreme Court ruled 8-1 against Colorado's ban on conversion therapy for minors, siding with a Christian counselor.
- The ban prohibits mental health professionals from trying to change a young client's sexual orientation or gender identity, with $5,000 fines and license loss as penalties.
- The case returns to lower courts for stricter First Amendment review, potentially weakening similar bans nationwide.
The Supreme Court sent a challenge to Colorado's conversion therapy ban back to lower courts after ruling that it discriminates against speech by licensed counselor Kaley Chiles. Chiles, a practicing Christian, wants to provide talk therapy to minors seeking to reduce same-sex attraction or feel more comfortable in their bodies. The decision rejects Colorado's view that the law regulates professional conduct, instead treating it as viewpoint-based speech regulation under the First Amendment. Thi