Supreme Court ruling on ‘conversion therapy’ puts medical talk in the hot seat
The Court said talk therapy is protected speech, not medical conduct
At the end of March, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Colorado’s statute prohibiting "conversion therapy" for minors restricts a therapist’s first amendment rights. Conversion efforts seek to change gender identity or sexual orientation. The case impacts medical care, as does the 2025 ruling in U.S. v. Skrmetti which found that a state could stop minors from receiving gender-affirming treatments. People rallied outside the high court (shown here) during arguments for that case on December 4, 2024.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images