Supreme Court Overturns Colorado Conversion Therapy Ban

Ruling puts LGBTQ youth at risk, say advocates in Southwest Michigan

Apr. 1, 2026 at 2:00am

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The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned a Colorado law banning conversion therapy for minors, ruling the law violates the First Amendment by restricting the views counselors can express. The 8-1 decision calls into question conversion therapy bans across the U.S., including in Michigan.

Why it matters

Conversion therapy has been widely discredited and can cause significant harm to LGBTQ individuals, including increased suicidality and decreased self-confidence. The Supreme Court's ruling leaves LGBTQ youth in Southwest Michigan vulnerable, especially those from unsupportive households.

The details

The court's decision this week overturns Colorado's law banning conversion therapy for minors. The majority opinion, written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, said the Colorado ban 'censors speech based on viewpoint,' which is not allowed under the First Amendment. With this ruling, Michigan's conversion therapy ban no longer has the force of law, and licensed mental health practitioners are allowed to practice conversion therapy on minors.

  • The Supreme Court ruling was issued on March 31, 2026.

The players

The OutCenter Southwest Michigan

A local LGBTQ advocacy organization based in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

Willow Sipling

A representative from The OutCenter Southwest Michigan who spoke about the impacts of the Supreme Court ruling.

Justice Neil Gorsuch

The author of the majority opinion in the Supreme Court's 8-1 decision overturning Colorado's conversion therapy ban.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson

The lone dissenter in the Supreme Court's 8-1 decision overturning Colorado's conversion therapy ban.

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What they’re saying

“Conversion therapy, at best, simply doesn't work. It could constitute medical fraud or false advertising because there is no research at all that indicates that conversion therapy or change efforts actually cause the change that they purport to carry out.”

— Willow Sipling, Representative, The OutCenter Southwest Michigan

“It can increase suicidality, it decreases many LGBT individuals' post-conversion therapy relationships. It is also simply unhealthy and unaffirming, which leads to all of the things that a kind of bullying worldview can lead to. That's self-harm, that is a lack of self-confidence.”

— Willow Sipling, Representative, The OutCenter Southwest Michigan

What’s next

The OutCenter Southwest Michigan is exploring other avenues, such as licensing regulations or local policies, to continue opposing conversion therapy practices in the region following the Supreme Court's ruling.

The takeaway

The Supreme Court's decision to overturn Colorado's conversion therapy ban raises serious concerns about the wellbeing and safety of LGBTQ youth, especially those from unsupportive families, in Southwest Michigan and across the country. Advocates warn that this ruling could embolden the use of these discredited and harmful practices.