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Author and Survivor Tim Schraeder Rodriguez Joins Advocates at the U.S. Supreme Court as Justices Hear Challenge to State Bans on So-Called “Conversion Therapy”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, D.C. — October 7, 2025 – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court hears Chiles v. Salazar, a case that could determine whether states have the power to protect LGBTQ youth from so-called “conversion therapy," a discredited practice that falsely claims to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The case centers on Colorado’s 2019 law banning licensed mental health providers from engaging in such practices on minors, with potential ripple effects on similar laws across the country.
Author and survivor Tim Schraeder Rodriguez is among dozens of advocates, faith leaders, and survivors gathered outside the Court this morning, urging the Justices to uphold these lifesaving protections.
“I spent eight years in conversion therapy, convinced my faith required me to change who I was,” said Tim Schraeder Rodriguez. “The tragic truth is that a ‘choice’ made under the immense pressure of shame and spiritual fear isn’t autonomy — it’s coercion. This case isn’t about free speech; it’s about protecting vulnerable American youth from a discredited and dangerous practice. A ruling against these bans wouldn’t just be a legal setback; it would tell every kid, especially queer kids, that the right of adults to force their beliefs outweighs that child’s fundamental right to be safe and to be themselves.”
Tim is available for interviews from DC through today and can be made available for in-person, on-camera, or remote.
At the heart of this case lies a question with enormous implications: Can states protect minors from harm, or will ideology be permitted to override medical consensus and basic child welfare?
Every major medical and mental health organization in the United States, including the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Medical Association, has condemned so-called “conversion therapy” as ineffective, unethical, and dangerous. The practice has been linked to dramatically increased risks of depression, substance use, and suicide attempts among LGBTQ youth.
Colorado’s law, like those in more than 20 other states, does not restrict free speech, it regulates professional conduct by licensed practitioners. If overturned, the Court’s decision could unravel years of progress made to protect LGBTQ minors from harmful and coercive practices disguised as therapy.
More From Tim:
- Read Tim's op-ed for RNS: Dr. James Dobson’s death ends a life, but not a legacy of lies
- Watch Tim's message to LGBTQ youth and families in a post on Instagram
Conversion "Therapy” Fast Facts:
- Widespread and ongoing: More than 1,300 practitioners across 48 states and D.C. continue to advertise these practices, including hundreds who hold active professional licenses.
- Proven harm: LGBTQ youth subjected to “conversion therapy” are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide compared to peers who have not experienced it.
- Economic cost: The estimated annual cost of associated harms exceeds $9 billion in the U.S.
- Youth voices: In the Trevor Project’s 2024 National Survey, LGBTQ youth who reported affirmation from their families and communities were 50% less likely to attempt suicide than those who experienced rejection or conversion efforts.
GLAAD’s Reporter Guide on this case can be found HERE.
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About Tim Schraeder Rodriguez: Tim Schraeder Rodriguez is a writer and advocate whose work explores the intersections of faith, sexuality, and belonging. A survivor of eight years in “conversion therapy,” his essays have appeared in outlets including National Catholic Reporter and Religion News Service. His forthcoming memoir, Conversion Therapy Dropout: A Queer Story of Faith and Belonging, chronicles his journey from coercion to healing — and calls for a faith that liberates rather than confines.
