US Supreme Court Rejects Colorado Ban on Conversion Therapy for Minors

US Supreme Court Rules Against Colorado’s Conversion Therapy Ban

The US Supreme Court has issued an eight-to-one decision in a case challenging a law banning “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ children. The law, passed in 2019, aimed to restrict the practice of talk therapy that seeks to change an individual’s gender identity or sexual orientation.

In its ruling, the court majority held that restricting this type of therapy could violate free speech protections under the First Amendment of the Constitution. Two justices joined six others in opposing the ban, with one justice arguing that the First Amendment protects against any effort to enforce orthodoxy in thought or speech.

The court’s decision will likely make it more difficult for states to enact similar laws. About two dozen US states have already banned conversion therapy, which has been linked to higher rates of depression and suicidal thoughts among LGBTQ individuals.

In a supporting opinion, Justice Elena Kagan wrote that the state’s suppression of one side of the debate while aiding the other could lead to constitutional issues. Justice Neil Gorsuch argued that the First Amendment protects against any attempt to enforce orthodoxy in thought or speech.

Only one justice, Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented from the ruling, arguing that it threatens states’ ability to regulate medical care and highlights the dangers of conversion therapy to LGBTQ youth.

The decision has been met with criticism from LGBTQ advocates, who argue that the practice is a form of harm. “This is a dangerous practice that has been condemned by every major medical association in the country,” said Polly Crozier, director of family policy at GLAD Law.

Source: Al Jazeera