FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 31, 2026
CONTACT:
Kathy Dempsey
Communications Consultant for CMF
202-359-4379
Supreme Court Acts Justly Upholds First Amendment Rights Against Colorado Censorship & Gender Ideology
Statement by Louis Brown, Jr. Esq., Executive Director of Christ Medicus Foundation
The Christ Medicus Foundation applauds the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Chiles v. Salazar ruling that the Colorado law violates First Amendment free speech rights. The Supreme Court overwhelmingly ruled that Colorado’s law violates the First Amendment’s free speech guarantees because the state law censors the speech of mental health therapists if those therapists’ speech contradicts gender ideology and gender transitioning practices.
Tragically, the Colorado state law at issue bans mental health therapy that would affirm the dignity, goodness, and infinite value of every young person’s biological sex and the inherent goodness of their God-given human body. The Colorado state law bans mental health therapists from providing counseling that would help young people receive care that is truly loving, healing, and restorative. In truth, as we referenced on the day of the case’s hearing, the Colorado law bans Christian therapists from providing care to minors consistent with Christian anthropology in the area of sexuality. Most troubling, the Colorado law would stop mental health care that communicates the truth to young people that they are beloved sons and daughters of God.
We applaud the U.S. Supreme Court’s near unanimous decision that this unjust Colorado law unconstitutionally censors the free speech of mental health therapists. Justice Gorsuch in his majority opinion concluded that:
‘Colorado may regard its policy as essential to public health and safety. Certainly, censorious governments throughout history have believed the same. But the First Amendment stands as a shield against any effort to enforce orthodoxy in thought or speech in this country. It reflects instead a judgment that every American possesses an inalienable right to think and speak freely, and a faith in the free marketplace of ideas as the best means for discovering truth. However well-intentioned, any law that suppresses speech based on viewpoint represents an “egregious” assault on both of those commitments.’
We are grateful that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Colorado’s unjust assault on First Amendment free speech. We are appalled at Colorado’s years of coercing young people and parents to accept gender ideology. In their years-long pursuit of gender ideology, Colorado and other like minded state governments have done grave harm to the health of young people, attacked constitutionally protected parental rights, and seriously violated the free speech and conscience rights of medical professionals. We urge parents, Christian medical and legal professionals, Catholic health care entities, faith-leaders, faith-based communities, leaders in movements for human dignity, and people of good will to be vigilant in protecting human dignity and the basic human and civil rights for patients and medical professionals. The most vulnerable in our society, including young people dealing with gender confusion, need our love, compassion, support, and firm resolve to uphold human freedom, justice, basic individual rights, and the God-given goodness and dignity of the human person in health care.
The Christ Medicus Foundation shares Jesus Christ’s healing love to promote authentic health and wellness. We advance religious freedom for medical professionals and patients. We promote Christ-centered, pro-life medical care. We offer our CURO Catholic Health and Wellness program for the medical needs and whole-person wellness of individuals and families.
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