Survivor of Controversial "Conversion Therapy" Speaks Out Against Supreme Court Case

In the weeks leading up to the Supreme Court's new term, the justices will hear a case challenging Colorado's ban on "conversion therapy" for minors. At the center of the case is Matt Salmon, who recounts his traumatic experiences with the discredited practice nearly 20 years ago.

Salmon, now a psychiatrist, remembers being forced to stand in a circle with other teenagers and shout obscenities at a gay boy. He also recalls being made to hug other men, as his therapist claimed his sexuality was driven by a "void" that needed to be filled. Salmon says those wounds are still very much present today.

On the other side of the case is Kaley Chiles, a licensed counselor in Colorado who is fighting the state's law. Chiles, represented by the conservative legal group Alliance Defending Freedom, argues the ban violates her free speech rights by dictating what she can discuss with clients. She says her "faith-informed counseling" would be voluntary and involve conversations about clients' goals and beliefs.

However, Colorado's attorney general contends the law simply prohibits counselors from pressuring minors to be someone they're not. The state maintains Chiles is free to discuss conversion therapy, just not practice it with clients.

As the Supreme Court prepares to take up the case, the justices will have to navigate the complex intersection of free speech, LGBTQ rights, and the regulation of medical professionals. Their decision could have far-reaching implications for the ongoing battles over conversion therapy and transgender youth care.