Americans United for Separation of Church and State, joined by more than two dozen national and Colorado-based religious organizations, this week urged the U.S. Supreme Court to affirm that Colorado’s Minor Conversion Therapy Law does not violate the religious freedom of mental health practitioners. The law prohibits counselors from trying to change a child’s sexual orientation or gender identity; it was enacted to protect LGBTQ+ children from conversion therapy, which scientific research and medical evidence have proven to be harmful and ineffective.
In an amicus brief filed Tuesday in the case Chiles v. Salazar, AU and allies explain that Colorado’s law was not enacted with anti-religious animus and does not target religion. The brief offers several religious perspectives, including Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, and Unitarian Universalist, that support the law because it aligns with their beliefs to celebrate diversity and ensure all members of the community feel safe, included, and supported.
Americans United President and CEO Rachel Laser issued the following statement:
“Our country’s promise of church-state separation means that all Americans must be free to live as themselves and believe as they choose, as long as they do not harm others. We urge the U.S. Supreme Court to affirm that our laws can protect vulnerable LGBTQ+ children from the proven harm of conversion therapy.
“This is yet another case spearheaded by Alliance Defending Freedom, an aggressive Christian Nationalist organization that is manipulating the courts in order to turn religious freedom into a license to discriminate. We need a national recommitment to the separation of church and state. It’s the shield that protects everyone’s freedom to make their own decisions about their own bodies according to their own moral and religious beliefs.”
Organizations joining Americans United’s brief include Alliance of Baptists; Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists; Bend the Arc; Central Conference of American Rabbis; Covenant Network of Presbyterians; Denver Community Church; Dignity Denver; DignityUSA; Highlands Church Denver; Hindu American Foundation; Hindus for Human Rights; Interfaith Alliance; Interfaith Alliance of Colorado; Jewish Council for Public Affairs; Keshet; Methodist Federation for Social Action; Metropolitan Community Churches; Muslims for Progressive Values; National Council of Jewish Women; New Ways Ministry; Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus; Society for Humanistic Judaism; Union for Reform Judaism; Unitarian Universalist Association; and Women of Reform Judaism.
The brief’s authors include Senior Litigation Counsel Amy Tai and Litigation Counsel Jenny Samuels.
Americans United is a religious freedom advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, AU educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.
Liz Hayes
Associate Vice President of Communications
[email protected]
