Colorado: Supreme Court to hear case on conversion therapy bans
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case challenging Colorado's ban on conversion therapy for minors, marking the first time the Court will address the constitutionality of such laws. The case involves licensed counselor Kaley Chiles, who argues that the state's prohibition infringes upon her free speech rights. Currently, approximately half of U.S. states have enacted bans on conversion therapy for minors, practices that aim to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity through counseling. Supporters of these bans cite evidence indicating that conversion therapy is both harmful and ineffective, while opponents contend that such laws violate counselors' freedom of speech. The Supreme Court's decision to hear this case follows differing rulings in lower courts: the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Colorado's law, whereas the 11th Circuit struck down similar bans in Florida.