US state toughens ‘conversion therapy’ ban despite Supreme Court ruling

Colorado legislators have passed a bill allowing lawsuits against therapists who advise a traditional sexual orientation

Lawmakers in Colorado have approved amendments to the state’s ban on “conversion therapy,” a practice aimed at changing an individual’s non-traditional sexual orientation or gender identity through counseling.

This comes despite a US Supreme Court ruling blocking enforcement of the state’s ban on such therapy on free-speech grounds.

Conversion therapy has long been criticized by medical experts and advocacy groups as ineffective and harmful – particularly for gay children of conservative parents seeking such intervention. Roughly half of US states, including Colorado since 2019, have banned the practice.

On Thursday, Colorado’s Democrat-led House passed a measure allowing people claiming harm from conversion therapy to sue therapists. The change mirrors legislation adopted in 2021 that removed time limits for bringing claims related to child sexual abuse.

State Representative Karen McCormick, who sponsored the bill and is the parent of a transgender child, said the amendment would give individuals more time to process trauma and come forward. “We don’t want them shut out of the legal system,” she said.

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The legislation comes two days after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Christian counselor who challenged the ban on free speech grounds. Kaley Chiles argued that the restriction interfered with her ability to discuss issues of sexuality and relationships with clients within a religious framework.

“Each American enjoys an inalienable right to speak his mind and a faith in the free marketplace of ideas as the best means for finding truth,” Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the majority opinion. “Laws like Colorado’s, which suppress speech based on viewpoint, represent an egregious assault on both commitments.”

The Supreme Court's 8-1 decision, which included support from two liberal justices, does not affect existing restrictions on physical or medical interventions, such as electroconvulsive therapy, which remain regulated or prohibited in Colorado. Instead, the case will return to a lower court for further examination.

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The developments reflect a wider national debate over LGBTQ-related policies versus free speech rights. Opposition to progressive social agenda – denounced as “wokism” by conservative critics – was a key factor in President Donald Trump’s election in 2024.