Last week the U.S. Supreme Court overwhelmingly ruled against a Colorado law censoring counselors who work with people suffering from gender dysphoria.
In 2019, Colorado enacted a law prohibiting licensed counselors from engaging in “conversion therapy.” Under that law, counselors are free to engage in pro-LGBT counseling, but they cannot help people who want to overcome their same-sex attraction or gender confusion.
In an 8-1 opinion delivered last Tuesday, the Court held that Colorado’s law against so-called “conversion therapy” violates the First Amendment.
This is good news. Over the years, many states have passed laws like Colorado’s infringing free speech and the free exercise of religion among licensed healthcare professionals.
Many people want counselors to help them overcome unwanted same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria, and many medical experts — like the American College of Pediatricians and the HHS — believe that encouraging a child to disagree with his or her biological sex is harmful.
In Arkansas, multiple “conversion therapy” bans have been filed at the Capitol over the years, but none have passed. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in this case shows that Arkansas’ lawmakers were right not to enact these flawed measures.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
