Should conversion therapy be banned? What poll found amid Supreme Court case

Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald on Oct 15, 2025

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A majority of Americans support outlawing conversion therapy for minors, according to a new YouGov/Economist survey.

At the same time, most doubt the effectiveness of the controversial practice, saying it cannot change a person’s sexual orientation from gay to straight.

The poll comes as a case is currently before the Supreme Court challenging Colorado’s law prohibiting conversion therapy for minors.

The case was brought by Kaley Chiles, a licensed Christian counselor who argues that the state’s ban violates the First Amendment, unlawfully restricting her ability to provide services aligned with her religious beliefs.

Colorado officials, meanwhile, defended the statute as a “reasonable regulation,” telling the justices that therapists have a duty to shield their patients from substandard care.

During oral arguments on Oct. 7, the court’s conservative majority appeared skeptical of the Centennial State’s ban, with Justice Samuel Alito saying the prohibition “looks like blatant viewpoint discrimination.” A ruling is expected by June 2026.

More than 20 states have laws barring minors from undergoing conversion therapy, which involves talking or behavioral techniques intended to change an individual’s sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual or to change their gender expression.

The practice has been rejected by multiple medical organizations, including the American Psychological Association, the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Some studies have also found it is associated with depression and suicidality.

In the survey — which sampled 1,622 U.S. adults Oct. 10-13 — respondents were asked whether they oppose or favor laws that ban conversion therapy, specifically related to sexual orientation, for adults under the age of 18.

A majority, 59%, said they support such laws, while 20% said they are against them. An additional 22% said they were not sure.

On this question, a consensus emerged across the political spectrum, with most Democrats (59%), Republicans (60%) and independents (57%) expressing support for bans.

Respondents were also asked whether they believe conversion therapy can “change a person’s sexual orientation from gay to straight.”

Most of them, 58%, said this practice cannot change someone’s sexual orientation, while just 11% said that it can. Nearly one-third, 32%, said they were not sure.

Here, a noticeable partisan divide emerged. Most Democrats and independents — 75% and 55%, respectively — said the therapeutic practice cannot result in a changed sexual orientation. A plurality of Republicans, 45%, agreed.

Additionally, the poll — which has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points — asked respondents whether lesbians and gays should participate in programs attempting to alter their sexual orientation.

A 49% plurality said they should not take part in such programs, while 17% said they should and 34% said they were not sure.

Two-thirds of Democrats said gays and lesbians should not take part in these measures, while smaller shares of independents and Republicans — 48% and 35% — shared this view.