A federal appeals court in Colorado on Thursday upheld a ban against conversion therapy for minors, saying the measure does not violate the U.S. Constitution, The Hill reported.

A therapist challenged the law in 2022, arguing it interfered with her ability to treat people who want to reduce or eliminate “unwanted sexual attractions” such as “same-sex attractions or gender identity confusion.”

In the 2-1 ruling, Judge Veronica Rossman wrote, “We thus have no trouble concluding the [Minor Conversion Therapy Law] is rationally related to Colorado’s interest in protecting minor patients seeking mental healthcare from obtaining ineffective and harmful therapeutic modalities.”

An attorney for the National Center for Lesbian Rights said in a statement, “These discredited practices, which falsely promise to be able to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, have been rejected as unsafe by every major medical and mental health organization in the country.”

He added, “The 10th Circuit has joined numerous other federal courts in affirming that states can require licensed mental health providers to comply with professional standards prohibiting these harmful and unnecessary practices.”

Colorado has banned mental health providers from using conversion therapy on minors since 2019.

Christian licensed professional counselor Kaley Chiles sued Colorado in federal court in 2022, claiming the conversation ban violates her free speech and targets Christians.

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