The Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday about whether a Colorado law banning “conversion therapy”—that is, efforts by psychologists or counselors to get people to change their sexual orientation—violates the First Amendment. The Justices seem likely to strike the ban down, and that’s a good thing.

Opponents say conversion therapy is harmful because it involves pressuring or shaming people into denying their sexual identities, which can cause lasting psychological damage. Today, more than 20 states have outlawed it. Arizona legislators rejected a ban this summer, but Governor Katie Hobbs signed an executive order in 2023 blocking state agencies from paying for it.

See Full Page