The US Supreme Court has sided with a Christian counselor asserting her right to provide talk therapy aimed at altering a child’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The ruling determined that Colorado’s ban on the practice “regulates speech based on viewpoint.”
This decision casts doubt on similar prohibitions enacted in approximately 30 states and represents another instance of the high court curtailing protections for LGBTQ+ individuals. Justices have increasingly supported claims of religious discrimination while exhibiting skepticism towards LGBTQ+ rights.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the sole dissenting voice in the critical ruling, which is expected to have far-reaching consequences. Colorado had previously banned the therapy for those under 18, aligning with over 20 other US states and parts of Europe, including Germany, that have also prohibited the practice.