Supreme Court Destroys Conversion Therapy Bans in Stunning 8 to 1 Victory for Christian Free Speech

Supreme Court Strikes Down Conversion Therapy Ban in Landmark 8 to 1 First Amendment Ruling

The United States Supreme Court has delivered a landmark ruling in Chiles v. Salazar, voting 8 to 1 that Colorado's 2019 law banning conversion therapy for minors violates the First Amendment. The decision, handed down on March 31, 2026, could invalidate similar laws in roughly two dozen states across the country.

Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the majority, declared that licensed counselor Kaley Chiles' talk therapy is "the quintessential form of protected speech." He wrote that Colorado's law "censors speech based on viewpoint," allowing therapists to affirm certain identities while prohibiting them from offering alternative counsel.

"Her speech does not become 'conduct' just because a government says so or because it may be described as a 'treatment.'"

Justice Neil Gorsuch

In a striking show of judicial unity, liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan joined the majority. Kagan wrote a concurring opinion calling the lone dissent by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson a "textbook" case of viewpoint discrimination. Jackson warned the ruling "opens a dangerous can of worms" threatening states' ability to regulate medical care.

Christopher Doyle, a Licensed Professional Counselor and Executive Director of the Institute for Healthy Families, has been at the center of this battle for over a decade. Through his nonprofit Voice of the Voiceless, formed in 2012, Doyle documented what he describes as fraudulent narratives used to promote conversion therapy bans across multiple states.

Among the most controversial figures in the debate is Samuel Brinton, a prominent activist who testified before legislatures and the United Nations about conversion therapy. Brinton was later arrested for felony luggage theft, and Doyle has pointed to discrepancies in verifiable details of Brinton's claimed therapy experience.

Despite the sweeping ruling, Doyle cautions that activists continue to explore alternative legal avenues to restrict therapy practices, suggesting the fight over religious counselors' right to speak freely is far from over.

What the Supreme Court Conversion Therapy Ruling Means for Christian Counselors and Free Speech

The ruling does not technically strike down Colorado's law outright but sends the case back to lower courts with instructions to apply strict scrutiny, the highest form of judicial review. Legal experts widely expect the law to be struck down on remand.

The decision sends a powerful signal: the government cannot weaponize licensing power to silence therapists who hold traditional views on gender and sexuality. For Christian counselors nationwide, this is a monumental victory for the freedom to practice biblically informed care without government censorship.

The Crusader's Opinion

Let's call this what it is: for over a decade, the state tried to tell Christian counselors what they could and could not say behind closed doors. They used the language of "protection" to silence anyone who dared offer a biblical perspective on identity and sexuality. Eight out of nine Supreme Court justices saw through it. When even Kagan and Sotomayor side against you, your position is indefensible. The fact that activists are already searching for new ways to restrict these freedoms tells you everything you need to know. They don't want dialogue. They want obedience. Christians must remain vigilant because this war is not over. Every counselor who was silenced, every ministry that was threatened, every believer who was told their faith had no place in a therapy room deserves vindication. This ruling is a start, not the finish line.

Take Action

• Contact your state legislators and urge them to review and repeal any remaining conversion therapy bans that violate First Amendment protections. Find your representatives at usa.gov/elected-officials.
• Support organizations defending religious liberty in counseling. Visit the Alliance Defending Freedom and Liberty Counsel to learn more.
• Pray for Christian counselors and ministries who have been silenced by these laws and share their stories to raise awareness in your church community.
• Donate to support persecuted Christians and faith based ministries at www.TheShepherdsShield.org.
• Read the full Supreme Court opinion in Chiles v. Salazar and discuss it with your pastor, small group, or family to understand your rights as a Christian in America.