WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on Monday to strike down Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy for minors, declaring the law an unconstitutional infringement on free speech rights under the First Amendment.
The decision, authored by Justice Clarence Thomas, found that the state’s prohibition on licensed therapists providing ‘sexual orientation change efforts’ to minors constituted viewpoint discrimination. ‘While the state has a compelling interest in protecting minors from harm, it cannot suppress speech simply because it finds the ideas offensive,’ Thomas wrote.
Colorado had joined 20 other states in banning the controversial practice, which major medical associations including the American Psychological Association have condemned as harmful. Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s dissent argued the majority ‘turns a blind eye to the well-documented harms of these practices on vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth.’
Legal analysts note the ruling could impact similar laws nationwide. ‘This sets a precedent that may force states to demonstrate more specific harms from conversion therapy to justify bans,’ said constitutional law professor Emily Barclay of Georgetown University.