Ruling in favor of Christian legal group could undermine care and rights for LGBTQ+ youth across the country

US supreme court appears poised to overturn Colorado ban on ‘conversion therapy’ Ruling in favor of Christian legal group could undermine care and rights for LGBTQ+ youth across the country Sam Levin and Rachel Leingang Tue 7 Oct 2025 12.32 EDT Share The US supreme court appeared ready to rule against a Colorado law that bans “conversion therapy” practices that seek to change minors’ sexual orientation or gender identity, repeatedly questioning the state over whether the law hindered free speech and whether these practices have been proven harmful.

The high-stakes case could roll back the rights of LGBTQ+ youth across the country. Colorado is one of more than 20 states in the US that have banned conversion practices, and a ruling in favor of the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a Christian legal group, could make those laws vulnerable to similar challenges.

In Chiles v Salazar, ADF is representing a woman who objected to a 2019 Colorado law outlawing conversion practices for youth under age 18. The law applies to licensed mental health clinicians who seek to change a patient’s gender identity or sexual orientation, discredited tactics that major medical associations have said are ineffective and harmful.