SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled yesterday that Colorado cannot ban licensed therapists from doing what's commonly called conversion therapy. The court found such a ban unconstitutionally regulates speech. The plaintiff in the case was an evangelical Christian and licensed therapist. Joining us now to talk about the ruling and what might come next is NPR religion correspondent Jason DeRose. Hey, Jason.
JASON DEROSE, BYLINE: Hello.
DETROW: Let's start by reminding everybody what conversion therapy is.
DEROSE: Well, Scott, it's the idea that a counselor can help a client either eliminate or reduce or not act on same-sex sexual attractions. Many of the practitioners of this are conservative Christians who use a range of methods from talk therapy to aversion therapy. And they often cite the Bible and church teaching in their work. And many see it as a kind of ministry. And now some 23 states with laws similar to the one struck down in Colorado are looking at whether they can continue to restrict this kind of therapy.
DETROW: Given this ruling, what are you hearing from Christian therapists now?
DEROSE: Well, I spoke with longtime psychologist Mark Baker, who practices in southern California. He's mostly happy with the decision. But he wishes the justices were more precise about what's meant by conversion therapy. He appreciates the ruling because it doesn't limit what Christian therapists like himself can talk about with clients. And he says the decision allows for more latitude in how therapists do their work. But he says it's clear from studies and his own practice that conversion therapy doesn't really mean someone can change their sexual orientation.
MARK BAKER: I'm aware of people who went through therapy who can accept their same-sex attraction, but they choose to want to have kids and get married. And I'm just going to - I'll manage that in my life.
DEROSE: By manage, he means that clients choose not to act on same-sex attraction, if that's something a client wants to work on with a therapist for a variety of reasons, including because of someone's religious beliefs.
DETROW: And at the same time, I'm curious how LGBTQ people of faith have responded to this decision.
DEROSE: Well, a number of more progressive religious groups have condemned the ruling. I spoke with Marianne Duddy-Burke with the LGBTQ Catholic group DignityUSA. She calls the ruling distressing.
MARIANNE DUDDY-BURKE: That's really damaging to the entire faith-based movement that is trying to help people live into who they are meant to be.
DEROSE: But she says, since the law isn't going to prevent this kind of counseling, it's now even more important for groups like hers to promote acceptance so people won't feel their religion requires them to change.
DETROW: Jason, I'm curious. this type of therapy has been a tension point for so long. But how prevalent is it really?
DEROSE: A report from the Trevor Project a couple of years ago found that a little over 1,300 people do this kind of counseling, about half clergy and the other half licensed therapists. The practice has been repudiated by multiple psychological and medical groups, including the American Psychological Association, in part because many studies have shown that it leads to higher rates of depression and suicidal thoughts among those who've tried it.
Now, I'll note that the ruling comes at a time when more and more people of faith are actually more and more accepting of LGBTQ people. Polling from both Pew Research and the Public Religion Research Institute shows that majorities of almost all religious groups favor some form of LGBTQ rights, from nondiscrimination laws to marriage equality. So while this therapy is becoming less common, and even some conservative groups are becoming more accepting of LGBTQ people, this ruling protects a small group of religious people who are involved in this kind of work.
DETROW: That is NPR religion correspondent Jason DeRose. Thank you so much.
DEROSE: You're welcome.
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