Colorado legislators pass a bill allowing prosecution of physicians who prescribe traditional sexual orientation
Lawmakers in Colorado have approved amendments to the state’s ban “Conversion Therapy,” A practice that aims to change a person’s non-traditional sexual orientation or gender identity through counseling.
This comes despite a US Supreme Court ruling blocking enforcement of state bans on such therapy on free-speech grounds.
Conversion therapy has long been criticized by medical experts and advocacy groups as ineffective and harmful – especially for gay children of conservative parents seeking such intervention. Nearly half of US states, including Colorado, have banned the practice since 2019.
On Thursday, Colorado’s Democrat-led House passed a measure allowing people claiming harm from conversion therapy to sue physicians. This change reflects legislation adopted in 2021 that removed time limits for bringing claims related to child sexual abuse.
State Representative Karen McCormick, who sponsored the bill and is the parent of a transgender child, said the amendment would give individuals more time to deal with trauma and come forward. “We don’t want them to fall out of the legal system,” He said.
The law comes two days after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Christian counselor who challenged the ban on freedom of expression grounds. Kelly Chiles argued that the ban interfered with her ability to discuss sexuality and relationship issues with clients within a religious framework.
“Every American has the inalienable right to speak his mind and believes in the free marketplace of ideas as the best means of discovering the truth.” Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the majority opinion. “Laws like Colorado’s, which suppress speech based on viewpoint, represent a serious attack on both commitments.”
The Supreme Court’s 8-1 decision, which included support from two liberal justices, does not affect existing restrictions on physical or medical interventions, such as electroconvulsive therapy, that are regulated or prohibited in Colorado. Instead, the case will be sent back to a lower court for further investigation.
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These developments reflect the broader national debate over LGBTQ-related policies versus free speech rights. Opposition to progressive social agenda – condemned as “vocism” by conservative critics – was a significant factor in the election of President Donald Trump in 2024.
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