In 2019, Colorado Governor Jared Polis, the first openly gay man to be elected governor,

signed a bill banning conversion therapy in the state.

Not only is there no evidence whatsoever that anybody can change their sexual orientation, but in fact,

many of these so-called therapies or treatments are counterproductive, leading to lifelong issues

with depression, even ultimately ending in suicide for some.

Last week, the Supreme Court ruled that ban may be unconstitutional.

Conversion therapy seeks to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of a person. It's been

deemed unethical and ineffective by most major medical and mental health groups. A study from the

Trevor Project found that young people who go through conversion therapy

were more than twice as likely to report attempting suicide compared to those who did not.

The Supreme Court decision only had one dissenter.

Justice Katanji Brown Jackson wrote that this decision, quote,

opens a dangerous can of worms and threatens to impair state's ability to regulate the

provision of medical care in any respect. The American Psychological Association wrote in a statement

that it shares Justice Jackson's concerns. But the case argued before the court was about free speech.

Kaylee Childs is a licensed therapist in Colorado. She brought the case to the

Supreme Court arguing that the state's ban violates her First Amendment rights. I'm Jen White. You're

listening to the 1A podcast. Today, what's behind the Supreme Court's decision and what are the

larger implications of this case for other states, health care, and LGBTQ youth. We'll discuss these

questions and more after this quick break. Stay with us. Welcome back to the 1A podcast. We're

talking about the effects of conversion therapy and the Supreme Court's latest decision on the matter.

Let's get into it and meet our panel. Joining us from Texas is Shannon Mentor, the legal director of the

...