Supreme Court takes up Colorado conversion therapy case

SUMMARY

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a challenge to Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy for minors, marking a major test of free speech and religious freedom claims against state restrictions on the controversial practice. Kaley Chiles, a licensed therapist in Colorado Springs, argues that the 2019 law prevents her from providing faith-based counseling to minors experiencing “same-sex attractions or gender identity confusion.” She maintains that her practice, which relies solely on talk therapy, respects clients’ “stated desires and objectives,” including efforts to align their feelings with their religious beliefs. Chiles is represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal group that contends the ban violates both her and her clients’ First Amendment rights. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law last year, ruling that it regulates professional conduct rather than speech.