https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/3/10/2309219/-Supreme-Court-will-hear-heinous-challenge-to-conversion-therapy-ban?detail=emaildkre

From the article:

"The Supreme Court will hear a challenge to Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy under the guise that it infringes upon the First Amendment.

Kaley Chiles, a licensed counselor and practicing Christian, filed the petition just days after President Donald Trump won the 2024 election...

...Chiles, who is being represented by conservative Christian advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom, argues that it is her right to practice conversion therapy with underage clients who share her “Christian worldview.”

“The government has no business censoring private conversations between clients and counselors, nor should a counselor be used as a tool to impose the government’s biased views on her clients,” ADF President Kristen Waggoner said in a statement.
"Significantly, the law only prohibits counseling conversations in one direction,” the statement continued. “For example, it allows counseling conversations that aim to steer young people toward a gender identity different than their sex but prohibits conversations that aim to help them return to comfort with
their sex when they desire that."

So, if Ms. Chiles (I don't dare call her a doctor--maybe a Christian quack) wins her case (which is quite possible), will we be seeing electroshock therapy resumed at BYU?

No doubt Oaks still has the equipment in his garage.

Hooks himself to the equipment before each conference session.

Old Sparky cures everything from masturbation, homosexual urges, to the desire to change one's gender.

From the statute:

(a) "CONNVERSION THERAPY" MEANS ANY PRACTICE OR TREATMENT BY A LICENSEE, REGISTRANT, OR CERTIFICATE HOLDER THAT ATTEMPTS OR PURPORTS TO CHANGE AN INDIVIDUAL'S SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY, INCLUDING EFFORTS TO CHANGE BEHAVIORS OR GENDER EXPRESSIONS OR TO ELIMINATE OR REDUCE SEXUAL OR ROMANTIC ATTRACTION OR FEELINGS TOWARD INDIVIDUALS OF THE SAME SEX.

(b) "CONVERSION THERAPY" DOES NOT INCLUDE PRACTICES OR TREATMENTS THAT PROVIDE: (I) ACCEPTANCE, SUPPORT, AND UNDERSTANDING FOR THE FACILITATION OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S COPING, SOCIAL SUPPORT, AND IDENTITY EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING SEXUAL ORIENTATION-NEUTRAL INTERVENTIONS TO PREVENT OR ADDRESS UNLAWFUL CONDUCT OR UNSAFE SEXUAL PRACTICES, AS LONG AS THE COUNSELING DOES NOT SEEK TO CHANGE SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY; OR (II) ASSISTANCE TO A PERSON UNDERGOING GENDER TRANSITION.

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COMMENT: I find this statute problematic, to say the least. There is too fine a line between, on the one hand, providing "acceptance, support, and understanding" as related to "Identity Exploration and Development", and on the other hand seeking to "change sexual orientation." In many such cases, the final "identity" orientation has not yet been firmly established, and it is the therapist job to assist in this regard.

Minors facing such challenges are often confused about their identity, and need guidance in understanding their feelings, and in particular how such feelings relate to their sexual identity. Counseling such people within the starting context of their biological identity not only seems appropriate but arguably should be the default position when approaching such issues, rather than the assumption that the subject is gay. Of course, once the subject "identifies" as gay (hopefully without coercion either way), then at that point attempts to change the person should arguably be restricted. But when does that "identity" point become solidified? Hard to say!

The problem is that some therapists abandon professionalism in favor of their religious biases. On the other hand, other therapists are perhaps two quick to minimize or dismiss biology in favor of pure choice at the slightest sign of sexual ambiguity as if biology was completely irrelevant to psychology.

In any event, a professional therapist should approach the matter with the attitude of helping the subject establish their identity without directing the subject to the outcome they prefer. I do not think this can be legislated with simplistic definitions and prohibitions. In some cases, it may well be appropriate to steer a subject back to their biology, recommending patience, before pushing them into an "identification" mold that could have lasting consequences.
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So, if Ms. Chiles (I don't dare call her a doctor--maybe a Christian quack) wins her case (which is quite possible), will we be seeing electroshock therapy resumed at BYU?

COMMENT: Well, Utah has its own anti-conversion therapy statute, which probably would not have happened without Mormon Church support. Moreover, a less Constitutionally problematic statute would prohibit certain extreme treatments and manipulative therapies, without trying to regulate the speech acts and motivations of therapists.

In short, I think this statute is SC toast. And if so, it might have nothing to do with any "hateful" attitudes of the Conservative Justices. They might well just find it Constitutionally offensive to interject the government into the regulation of professional behavioral therapists by limiting their freedom of speech.

Finally, suppose the shoe was on the other foot and Conservatives passed a statute prohibiting therapists from counseling minors toward acceptance of a gay orientation when they were determined to be straight. All of a sudden, the First Amendment challenge would now be legitimate.

Thank you Mr. Chief Justice, and may it please the court....

For those who find the supreme court proceedings interesting, without it being filtered by anyone.... Hera Ya go.

https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_audio/2024

Audio of supreme court cases.... very interesting IMO.

It will be fun to hear this case once it is presented.

I've always wanted to sit in a Supreme Court session. Once, while walking across Capitol Hill, I saw a group of students waiting on the steps of the Supreme Court to be admitted to a session. I'm not sure if they still do that, though.