Chiles v. Salazar: What’s at Stake for LGBTQ+ Youth

What’s happening

Today the U.S. Supreme Court will hear Chiles v. Salazar, a case challenging Colorado’s law that bans licensed therapists from performing “conversion therapy” on minors — practices that attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

This is the first time in history the Supreme Court will consider the constitutionality of laws preventing conversion therapy. A ruling against Colorado could strike down similar laws in 23 states, impacting nearly half of LGBTQ+ youth across the country.

Background

Conversion therapy is not healthcare — it’s a discredited and harmful practice with no scientific basis. Sexual orientation and gender identity cannot be changed. Colorado’s law recognizes this by allowing therapists to help youth explore and accept who they are, while prohibiting attempts to alter their identity.

The practice is also deeply harmful. Many children subjected to conversion therapy experience trauma from being told their identity is wrong or “fixable.” It can also isolate them from their families, as practitioners often suggest parents are to blame for their child’s identity. Because of these harms, the American Psychological Association and every major medical and mental health organization in the U.S. have universally condemned conversion therapy.

RMEQ, along with many other LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, has urged the Supreme Court to uphold Colorado’s right to protect children from this practice. We’ve seen firsthand how devastating its effects can be. If these protections are overturned nationwide, millions of youth could be put at risk.

What’s ahead

The Supreme Court is expected to issue its decision in Spring 2026, following oral arguments in Chiles v. Salazar.