Colorado conversion therapy ban challenged in Supreme Court

The United States Supreme Court has heard oral arguments in a case that seeks to overturn a state ban on “conversion therapy”.

Chiles v. Salazar centres on a conversion therapy ban in Colorado, which critics say stifles free speech, damages children and is in effect taking sides in a highly contentious ideological battle.

The case was brought by Kaley Chiles, a licensed counsellor in Colorado. She has spoken about how young clients affected by gender confusion have come to her in search of help to grow to be comfortable of their bodies and to avoid drug and surgery. However, the present law effectively prohibits Chiles, and people like her, from providing such help, even when the client expressly says that’s what they need.

Jim Campbell, Chief Legal Counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom argued the case before the Supreme Court this week.

Ahead of the hearing he said, “Colorado’s law allows counsellors to push kids down the trail of gender transition, often resulting in harmful drugs and surgeries.

“But it doesn’t allow compassionate counsellors like Kaley to speak with kids to assist them accept their bodies—even when that’s their express goal and so they have voluntarily sought Kaley out for advice.”

Campbell argued that such a policy amounted to censorship and accused Colorado of banning conversations it doesn’t like and of picking sides on the gender issue.

Effectively if a toddler in Colorado feels they’ve the mind of 1 gender however the body of one other, the state will allow them to contemplate changing their body, but not their mind.

Those who’re found to have breached the law can have their counsellor’s license revoked.

More than 20 US states currently have similar laws in effect.

Chiles said, “When my young clients come to me for counsel, they often wish to discuss problems with gender and sexuality. Yet my home state only allows my clients to pursue state-approved goals like gender transition.

“Colorado’s law harms kids and censors speech. I’m hopeful the Supreme Court will do the suitable thing—for me, other counsellors, and most significantly, kids in every single place.”