LINCOLN, NEB – On March 31, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Chiles v. Salazar, ruling that Colorado’s law banning licensed therapists from subjecting minors to conversion therapy likely violates people’s constitutional rights – in this case, “free speech” First Amendment rights – and needs to be revised. The case has been sent back to the lower courts.
OutNebraska fights to protect LGBTQIA+ youth in Nebraska from the harmful practice of “conversion therapy” through policy change:
Conversion therapy is a dangerous, discredited practice whose aim is to forcibly change, without consent, a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. These practices aren’t based on science or medical research. They are instead often based on a fear of the expression of someone’s sexuality or identity.
It is a fact that many major medical and mental health organizations throughout the U.S. have spoken out against the use of conversion therapy, including the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychiatric Association. It’s not gossip or whispers on the street that lead to the condemnation of these practices; it’s years of research, data, numerous scientific recommendations, and the personal experiences of those subjected to them.
According to The Trevor Project’s 2024 survey, 10% of LGBTQIA+ young people in Nebraska reported being threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy. Forty-five percent seriously considered suicide in the past year. Sixty-eight percent said that recent politics have negatively impacted their well-being “a lot.”1 We know it may sound like another set of statistics, when really these data points are our neighbors, students, and active members of their communities. They are the ones being directly affected by the threat or action of conversion therapy.
We stand with LGBTQIA+ Nebraskans who are being pressured to think that their sexuality or their gender is inherently wrong, when they are anything but. We know that the chance to explore one’s identity in an unbiased and objective environment leads to discovering who we are with acceptance & pride.
In practice, the Chiles v. Salazar decision makes it much harder for states like Nebraska to protect our young people from licensed therapists who use these dangerous practices, and in doing so, it could open the door for conversion therapy bans across the country to be challenged and weakened.
The state of Nebraska does not currently have a statewide ban on conversion therapy. However, the city of Lincoln did pass a ban in 2021.2 OutNebraska’s advocacy efforts will continue to prioritize protections for our LGBTQIA+ community at the local, state, and federal levels.
~ With you, OutNebraska
If you or someone you know needs support, The Trevor Project’s crisis counselors are available 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386, via chat at TheTrevorProject.org/Get-Help, or by texting START to 678-678. You can also reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.
1 Nath, R., Matthews, D., Hobaica, S., Eden, T.M., Taylor, A.B., DeChants, J.P., Suffredini, K. (2025). 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People by State. West Hollywood, CA: The Trevor Project. www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2024-by-state
2 Sunil, B. (2021, March 10). Lincoln passes conversion therapy ban. Daily Nebraskan. www.dailynebraskan.com/news/lincoln-passes-conversion-therapy-ban/article_dda98410-8134-11eb-85c5-5bd06225740b.html
OutNebraska is a nonpartisan organization working to empower, celebrate, and grow LGBTQIA+ communities in Nebraska. For more information, visit outnebraska.org.
