04/04/2026
A Statement in Response to the Chiles v. Salazar Supreme Court Ruling.
This week, the Supreme Court issued a decision in Chiles v. Salazar, a case that asks whether states can protect minors from dangerous conversion therapy practices. The Court has ruled that these debunked practices can count as "protected speech" under the first amendment, and sent the case back to be revisited in Colorado’s lower courts.
To be clear, this case was not about whether conversion practices are legal or safe. Medical consensus remains clear: Conversion therapy is a harmful threat to young peoples’ health and wellbeing. Every major medical organization continues to condemn conversion therapy as unethical and research links it with increased rates of su***de attempts, depression, and anxiety.
Regardless of this ruling, conversion therapy is still malpractice and survivors have a range of legal options to fight back. This ruling does not give therapists a free pass to harm patients and conversion practices still constitute grounds for malpractice claims and licensing board complaints. California’s protections for the LGBTQ+ community remain in place, but this ruling leaves us vulnerable. We must come together to fight for enhanced protections for survivors of conversion practices.
The Stonewall Foundation of Greater Sacramento is committed to advancing affirming mental health resources for the LGBTQ+ community. Click the link in our bio for more information about our work and community resources.
