Supreme Court rules against Colorado's ban on conversion therapy aimed at LGBTQ youth

The Supreme Court ruled that Colorado's ban on conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth violates the free speech rights of a conservative Christian therapist.

WASHINGTON — In a blow to LGBTQ rights, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that Colorado's ban on conversion therapy aimed at youths struggling with their sexual orientation or gender identity violates the free speech rights of a conservative Christian therapist.

The 8-1 decision in favor of therapist Kaley Chiles on her claim brought under the Constitution's First Amendment is likely to have national implications — more than 20 states have similar laws. It could also have an impact on other forms of medical treatment that involve speech.

Writing for the majority, Justice Neil Gorsuch said that "the First Amendment stands as a shield against any effort to enforce orthodoxy in thought or speech in this country."

In deciding the case, the court embraced Chiles’ argument that the Colorado law banning conversion therapy regulates speech, not conduct, as Colorado had argued. As such, the measure is not like other health care regulations that focus on conduct, the court concluded. The case will now return to the lower courts.

Colorado's law "does not just ban physical interventions," Gorsuch wrote. It also "censors speech based on viewpoint."