The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a landmark decision on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, by an 8-1 vote, ruling that Colorado's law prohibiting "conversion therapy" for LGBTQ+ minors constitutes viewpoint-based regulation of speech and thus violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
The case pitted a Denver-based Christian counselor against the Colorado Attorney General. The plaintiff argued that the law prevented her from practicing her counseling profession through speech in accordance with her religious convictions. The majority of the Court determined that the ban regulated the content of speech rather than a medical practice.
Colorado is one of 24 U.S. states and the District of Columbia that ban the controversial practice of conversion therapy on minors. These practices, aimed at changing sexual orientation or gender identity, are deemed "discredited" by all major American medical organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association.
The ruling could have ripple effects, calling into question similar laws across the country. LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations vehemently denounced the decision, while conservative religious groups hailed it as a victory for religious freedom and freedom of speech.
The sole dissenting voice among the nine justices was not immediately identified in initial reports. This near-unanimous vote (8-1) underscores the constitutional scope of the decision, which addresses the fundamental conflict between protecting minors and freedom of expression within the American legal system.
