Supreme Court Strikes Down Colorado Ban on Conversion Therapy for LGBTQ+ Youth

Ruling says law violates free speech, sends case back to lower court

Apr. 1, 2026 at 2:58am

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The Supreme Court has ruled 8-1 against a Colorado law banning 'conversion therapy' for LGBTQ+ minors, siding with a Christian counselor who argued the law violated her free speech rights. The court said the law 'censors speech based on viewpoint' and sent the case back to a lower court to determine if it meets a high legal standard.

Why it matters

This decision is the latest in a series of recent Supreme Court rulings that have favored religious liberty claims over LGBTQ+ rights. It threatens the ability of states to regulate medical practices that have been scientifically discredited and linked to serious harm, especially for vulnerable youth.

The details

The 2019 Colorado law carried the possibility of fines and license suspension for health care providers offering 'conversion therapy' to minors, but no one had been sanctioned under it. The ruling is expected to eventually make similar laws in other states unenforceable.

  • The Supreme Court issued its ruling on April 1, 2026.

The players

Kaley Chiles

A Christian counselor who challenged the Colorado law, arguing it violates her free speech rights.

Colorado

The state that passed the law banning 'conversion therapy' for LGBTQ+ minors, arguing it is a legitimate regulation of medical practice.

Alliance Defending Freedom

The conservative legal organization that represented Kaley Chiles in the case.

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What they’re saying

“This is a dangerous practice that has been condemned by every major medical association in the country. Today's decision does not change the science, and it does not change the fact that conversion therapists who harm patients will still face legal consequences.”

— Polly Crozier, Director of Family Policy at GLAD Law

“The First Amendment stands as a shield against any effort to enforce orthodoxy in thought or speech in this country.”

— Neil Gorsuch, Supreme Court Justice

What’s next

The case will now return to a lower court to determine if the Colorado law meets the high legal standard set by the Supreme Court's ruling.

The takeaway

This decision further erodes the ability of states to regulate medical practices that have been widely discredited, especially when those practices intersect with religious or free speech claims. It signals the Supreme Court's continued prioritization of religious liberty over LGBTQ+ rights.