Summary
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Colorado's ban on conversion therapy for minors is a violation of free speech rights, siding with therapist Kaley Chiles. The decision implies that therapists' conversations with patients are protected as free speech under the First Amendment.
Key Facts
- The Supreme Court ruled 8–1 that Colorado's law banning conversion therapy for minors violates free speech.
- The decision affects how therapists' conversations with patients are considered under the Constitution.
- Conversion therapy is a discredited practice aimed at changing a person's sexual orientation or gender expression.
- The Trevor Project found that minors who undergo conversion therapy are more likely to attempt suicide.
- Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the only dissenting vote, expressing concerns about the impact on medical standards.
- Therapist Kaley Chiles argued that the law acts as a gag order, limiting her freedom of speech.
- Colorado argued that the law is necessary to regulate professional conduct and protect patients from harm.
