Supreme Court Strikes Down Conversion Therapy Ban: What To Know

001The US Supreme Court just delivered a major ruling that could reshape the fight for LGBTQ rights. And the most surprising part, liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor and Alana Kagan joined conservative justices for a coalition to form a majority with only one person dissenting on the court. In an 8:1 decision, the Supreme Court ruled against Colorado's ban on conversion therapy, saying that it violated First Amendment rights. The majority opinion written by Justice Neil Gorsuch argued that states cannot ban what people say during therapy sessions, even if those viewpoints are controversial. Justice Katanji Brown Jackson was alone to center in the case and warned that the ruling could weaken state's ability to regulate medical professionals and protect public health. The case was brought by a Christian therapist who argued that Colorado's 2019 law prohibited her from having certain conversations with minors who sought to realign their sexuality with their religious beliefs. Colorado defended the law, saying that it was a way to protect young people from a practice that is widely opposed by medical organizations. The organizations have linked conversion therapy to increased risks of depression and suicide. The court's ruling could impact laws in over 20 states and potentially open the door to more legal challenges. It also could be a signal in how the court plans to approach other cases involving religion, speech, and LGBTQ rights.