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

Ruling raises free speech concerns, threatens similar laws in other states

Mar. 31, 2026 at 7:11pm

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A fractured, abstract painting with overlapping geometric shapes in shades of blue, green, and purple, conveying a sense of motion and political division around the issue of conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ youth.The Supreme Court's ruling against Colorado's ban on conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ youth reignites a polarizing political debate over religious freedom and LGBTQ+ rights.Washington Today

In an 8-1 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against a Colorado law banning 'conversion therapy' for LGBTQ+ minors, siding with a Christian counselor who argued the ban violated her free speech rights. The court sent the case back to a lower court to determine if the law meets a high legal standard, potentially making similar laws in other states unenforceable.

Why it matters

The ruling is the latest in a series of Supreme Court decisions that have favored religious freedom claims over LGBTQ+ rights, raising concerns about the future of state efforts to prohibit the discredited practice of 'conversion therapy' that has been linked to serious mental health harms.

The details

The court agreed with counselor Kaley Chiles, who was represented by the conservative legal group Alliance Defending Freedom, that the Colorado law 'censors speech based on viewpoint.' The state had argued the law simply regulates a form of health care it has a responsibility to oversee, not free speech.

  • The Supreme Court issued its ruling on March 31, 2026.
  • Colorado's law banning 'conversion therapy' for LGBTQ+ minors was enacted in 2019.

The players

Kaley Chiles

A Christian counselor who challenged Colorado's ban on 'conversion therapy' for LGBTQ+ youth, arguing it violated her free speech rights.

Alliance Defending Freedom

A conservative legal organization that represented Kaley Chiles in the case and has frequently appeared before the Supreme Court in recent years.

Colorado

The state that enacted a 2019 law prohibiting the use of 'conversion therapy' on LGBTQ+ minors, which the Supreme Court has now ruled against.

Neil Gorsuch

The Supreme Court justice who wrote the majority opinion, stating the Colorado law 'censors speech based on viewpoint.'

Ketanji Brown Jackson

The sole dissenting Supreme Court justice, who warned the ruling 'opens a dangerous can of worms' and threatens states' ability to regulate medical care.

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What they’re saying

“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

“The decision threatens to impair states' ability to regulate the provision of medical care in any respect.”

— Ketanji Brown Jackson, Supreme Court Justice

What’s next

The case will now return to a lower court to determine if Colorado's ban on 'conversion therapy' for LGBTQ+ youth meets the high legal standard set by the Supreme Court's ruling.

The takeaway

This Supreme Court decision further erodes legal protections for LGBTQ+ rights, prioritizing claims of religious freedom over the wellbeing of vulnerable youth and raising concerns about the future of state efforts to prohibit discredited and harmful 'conversion therapy' practices.