The Supreme Court ruled on May 6 that a Colorado law banning conversion therapy for minors constituted viewpoint discrimination, prompting Cincinnati officials to examine the city’s own prohibition on the practice.
This development is significant because it could affect local laws regulating therapists’ speech and their approach to conversion therapy, which aims to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The High Court’s 8-1 majority opinion in Chiles v. Salazar found that restricting what therapists can say may violate constitutional protections.
Following the ruling, leaders in Cincinnati asked the city’s legal department to review its ban on conversion therapy, which has been in effect since 2015. City Councilmember Jeff Cramerding, attorney Jack Greiner of Faruki PLL, and Ryan Thoreson, associate professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, discussed these implications during an appearance on WVXU’s Cincinnati Edition. Thoreson’s research focuses on how gender and sexuality are regulated through legal and social means, including constitutional law and human rights law.
The panel addressed how the Supreme Court decision might influence future enforcement or revision of local ordinances related to conversion therapy bans. They also discussed broader issues surrounding free speech rights for licensed professionals.
Cincinnati residents can listen to the full discussion online through WVXU’s website for more insights into how national court decisions could impact local policies.
