SCOTUS: Supreme Court seems skeptical of Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy.

During 90 minutes of oral arguments Tuesday, most of the court’s conservatives and at least one liberal, Justice Elena Kagan, seemed to view the case as primarily one about free speech rather than regulation of how health care professionals interact with their patients.

Several justices also wondered whether a ruling allowing Colorado to ban so-called conversion therapy would amount to a green light to conservative states to ban similar counseling that encourages young people to affirm feelings about their gender identity, even if it differs from the one they were assigned to at birth.

“It’s pretty important that we think about how this would apply to cases down the road. … Can a state pick a side?” Justice Amy Coney Barrett asked.

The case before the court was brought on behalf of Kaley Chiles, a licensed counselor and a practicing Christian who sometimes provides counseling informed by her faith. Chiles says she wants to provide talk therapy to minors who want to reduce feelings of same-sex attraction or feel more comfortable in their bodies. Chiles isn’t licensed to prescribe medication, conduct physical exams or perform surgery.

If that’s the standard, how many people talking to kids about permanently altering their bodies with surgery and hormones meet it?