Supreme Court Hears Free Speech Challenge to Colorado Conversion Therapy Ban
The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a challenge to Colorado's law banning conversion therapy for minors. The law faces scrutiny on free speech grounds, with arguments highlighting the conflict between state regulation of healthcare practices and First Amendment protections. The court's decision will affect ongoing cultural disputes over LGBT rights.
The U.S. Supreme Court is weighing a controversial challenge to Colorado's law that bans conversion therapy targeting minors. The debate centers on whether the law infringes on free speech rights of therapists advocating state-disfavored views on gender and sexuality.
Questions raised by conservative justices signal potential sympathy towards Christian counselor Kaley Chiles, who argues that her First Amendment rights are violated by the statute. In contrast, liberal justices seem inclined to uphold the law, viewing it as a regulation of professional practice deemed unsafe and ineffective by medical experts.
The outcome of this case could have significant implications for similar laws nationwide, affecting the intersection of free speech, healthcare regulation, and LGBT rights. As it stands, more than 20 states restrict conversion therapy, placing the Supreme Court at the center of America's ongoing cultural battles.
(With inputs from agencies.)
Google News