The Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists (AWAB) is honored to add our name and support to an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) brief filed today with the U.S. Supreme Court by Americans United for Separation of Church & State.
This case—Chiles v. Salazar—challenges Colorado’s Minor Conversion Therapy Law (MCTL), which prohibits licensed mental health professionals from engaging in so-called “conversion therapy” with minors.
At its core, the case raises a critical question: can states protect children from dangerous and discredited practices, even when some claim a religious or free-speech justification?
Why This Matters
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Conversion therapy is harmful. Research from the American Psychological Association, The Trevor Project, and countless survivor testimonies show that attempts to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity cause lasting trauma, increased depression, and higher suicide risk.
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The law is clear. Colorado’s law is neutral, generally applicable, and designed to protect minors from abuse. It does not target religion—it upholds professional standards of care.
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Faith voices are needed. As Baptists who believe every person is created in the image of God, AWAB joins this brief to make clear: conversion therapy is not ministry—it is abuse.
AWAB’s Commitment
AWAB exists to support and equip churches, organizations, and individuals committed to the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in the life and mission of the church. Joining this amicus brief is one way we live out that mission—standing alongside other faith partners, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Unitarian Universalist, and Christian alike, to declare with one voice that protecting children is a sacred responsibility.
We will continue to keep our AWAB family informed as this case progresses.
Read the Full Brief
You can read the full amicus brief filed in Chiles v. Salazar below: