Supreme Court Conversion Therapy Ruling Threatens Michigan Law Protecting LGBTQ+ Youth

US Supreme Court Decision Opens Door for Catholic Counselors to Resume Controversial Practices in Michigan

DETROIT — Michigan's law protecting LGBTQ+ youth from conversion therapy practices faces a new legal threat after the United States Supreme Court ruled against a similar ban in Colorado. The 8-1 decision could allow licensed Catholic counselors and other religious providers to resume counseling services that Michigan had prohibited under state law.

The Michigan statute, signed by Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2023, forbids licensed professionals from counseling minors to change their sexual orientation or gender identity. The law was designed to protect young people from interventions that major medical organizations have rejected as harmful and ineffective.

"Today's Supreme Court ruling is disappointing, but it does not change who we are," Whitmer said in a statement released by her office. "Michigan will never support any practice that harms or shames LGBTQ+ youth. As long as I'm governor, every young person deserves the right to grow up safe, supported, and free to be themselves."

The Michigan law has been on hold since December 2025, when a Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling blocked it on First Amendment grounds. The court, led by Judge Raymond Kethledge, declared that the law discriminated based on viewpoint by restricting speech that reflected therapists' moral beliefs.

Judge Kethledge wrote that "the Michigan law discriminates based on viewpoint — meaning the law permits speech on a particular topic only if the speech expresses a viewpoint that the government itself approves." He noted that the law permitted counseling for gender transition while banning counseling on sexual orientation.

The Supreme Court cited the Michigan case in its Colorado decision, signaling that the ruling may impact approximately two dozen states with similar conversion therapy bans, including Michigan.

Catholic Charities Welcomes Ruling

Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee and Hillsdale Counties, the primary challengers of Michigan's conversion therapy law, welcomed the Supreme Court's decision. The organization filed the lawsuit arguing that the state limited their ability to counsel children who have questions about gender identity, violating their free speech and religious rights.

William Bloomfield, general counsel for the Catholic Diocese of Lansing, issued a statement Tuesday:

"Kids struggling with issues of gender dysphoria or same-sex attraction should be able to get effective and compassionate counseling in accord with Catholic teaching. This ruling confirms that states cannot ban such counseling, as such laws violate the free speech clause of the First Amendment."

The Diocese of Lansing oversees the Catholic Charities group, which provides counseling services in Jackson, Lenawee and Hillsdale counties.

State Officials Express Concern

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said her office is reviewing next steps ahead of a federal district court meeting scheduled within the next two weeks.

"Medical experts have long debunked conversion therapy as a destructive, demoralizing and debunked practice which increases depression and the risk of suicide for LGBTQ+ youth," Nessel said in a statement. "Free speech is a sacred right in America, but it should not provide a runway in which medical professionals can actively harm their patients."

State Representative Jason Hoskins, a Democrat from Southfield who sponsored the original conversion therapy ban legislation, said the ruling does not make conversion therapy an accepted medical practice.

"This is still malpractice," Hoskins said. "It's consumer fraud, literally, to call it conversion therapy when it's not really therapy in the eyes of every major medical organization. It's still something we can fight against, but it's just disheartening to see this ruling come through."

Medical Community Maintains Opposition

Major medical organizations have long rejected conversion therapy. The American Psychological Association and American Medical Association have both stated there is no evidence that such interventions work, and research suggests they may cause significant psychological distress.

"Doctors report there is no evidence to suggest conversion therapy works, and it may lead to significant psychological distress like depression, anxiety and an increase in suicidal behavior," the Michigan Public Radio Network reported.

Some Protections May Remain

Despite the Supreme Court decision, some aspects of Michigan's conversion therapy law may still be enforceable, according to Jay Kaplan, staff attorney with the LGBTQ+ Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan.

Kaplan said the ruling only applies to verbal counseling and did not address other restrictions in Michigan's law.

"The court opinion did not address the issue of physical aversion therapy or medication that's prescribed," Kaplan said. "That's not addressed in this opinion."

The parties in the Michigan lawsuit are expected to provide an update to the federal judge overseeing the case within 14 days.

Broader Context

Michigan's law became the 22nd state to ban conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth when it took effect in 2024. However, the December 2025 court ruling immediately blocked enforcement pending further review.

The Supreme Court's Colorado decision comes after the justices heard arguments in October 2025 about whether laws banning conversion therapy violate the First Amendment. The high court ruled 8-1 that Colorado's law did raise serious free speech concerns, though they did not issue a final decision on the merits of the case.

Luke Goodrich, an attorney for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty who represented plaintiffs in the Michigan case, commented on the decision:

"This decision is yet more evidence that religious freedom, free speech, and parental rights are invaluable," Goodrich wrote on social media platform X.

The Supreme Court's decision may create a new legal standard that affects how similar cases are handled across the country. Michigan's case was one of several pending before lower courts that cited the Colorado decision in their rulings.

What's Next

The immediate next step is a federal district court meeting scheduled within the next two weeks. Michigan officials say they are evaluating their legal options in advance of that meeting.

The outcome could determine whether Michigan's conversion therapy ban remains on hold or faces renewed challenges. State officials have indicated they may need to amend the law or pursue new legal strategies to maintain protections for LGBTQ+ youth.

The Supreme Court's ruling has already sparked debate about the balance between free speech rights and government authority to protect vulnerable populations from practices deemed harmful by medical organizations.