How in the World Was the Supreme Court’s Awful Conversion Therapy Ruling 8–1?

Slate • March 31, 2026 • nation

Key Points:

The Supreme Court ruled 8–1 in Chiles v. Salazar that laws banning conversion therapy for minors violate the First Amendment, severely limiting states' ability to protect LGBTQ+ youth from this discredited practice.
The majority opinion, authored by Justice Gorsuch, framed conversion therapy as protected speech and criticized Colorado's law for viewpoint discrimination, but remanded the case for lower courts to apply strict scrutiny.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, warning that the ruling undermines states' ability to regulate medical professionals and sets a dangerous precedent that could erode medical licensure and malpractice standards.
The decision highlights a stark inconsistency in the Court's approach, granting heightened First Amendment protections to anti-LGBTQ+ speech while restricting speech rights of abortion providers and trans-affirming care.
Experts fear the ruling could lead to widespread unregulated, potentially harmful medical practices disguised as speech, threatening the quality and safety of healthcare in the U.S.

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