Overview
- The Supreme Court, which ruled Tuesday in an 8–1 decision, struck down Colorado’s 2019 ban on licensed counselors trying to change a minor’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
- The case was brought by Christian therapist Kaley Chiles, backed by the Trump administration, who said the law violated free-speech rights by restricting what she could say in counseling sessions.
- Colorado’s statute set fines of up to $5,000 per violation and allowed acceptance-focused therapy and help for youths undergoing gender transition.
- The majority treated the law as an attempt to control ideas expressed in therapy, a stance that could lead to fresh challenges to similar bans across more than two dozen states.
- Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented and medical groups including the American Psychological Association warn these practices harm minors, citing links to higher risks such as suicide attempts.