Last month, the Supreme Court of the United States delivered a blow to Colorado’s statewide ban targeting conversion therapy on minors. Some municipalities in Ohio are reviewing their local bans in light of the 8-1 ruling.
The Court’s majority opinion had issues with how the ban was worded, saying it censored protected speech by focusing on a therapist’s viewpoint. The justices then sent the ban back to the lower courts to revisit.
In Columbus, the City Attorney is “currently reviewing” the SCOTUS opinion and “will work with our clients on the impact, as necessary,” said Pete Shipley, the office’s spokesperson. There have not been any charges under the city’s ban to date.
Cuyahoga County, the first and only county in Ohio to ban conversion therapy, is “still evaluating” its ordinance. The Plain Dealer reported that spokesperson Kelly Woodward “continued to defend the spirit behind it.”
The city of Cincinnati, the first city in the United States to pass a conversion therapy ban, is currently reviewing its legal standing, Cincinnati CityBeat reported. Storm Boyd, a member of Cincinnati’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Commission, told CityBeat that leadership will “ensure the city code remains effective and responsive to preventing conversion therapy from reemerging in the city and state.”
Wording changes
Some municipalities were careful with their wording before the SCOTUS decision.
The U.S. Sixth Circuit issued an injunction against Michigan’s ban on conversion therapy in December 2025 due to a clarifying sentence, similar to the SCOTUS ruling. The Sixth Circuit majority opinion said that the ban was a viewpoint-based restriction on speech because a counselor who supports a gender transition is not subject to the law, while a counselor who “seeks to change an individual’s sexual orientation or identity” is banned from doing so.
Oberlin, the most recent city in Ohio to ban the widely discredited practice on minors, changed its ordinance after the Sixth Circuit decision. Oberlin Law Director Jon Clark asked the City Council to amend the wording of their ordinance, which had a clarifying sentence to distinguish conversion therapy from therapy supporting a client’s gender transition. The council struck the sentence and passed the ordinance at its next meeting.
“ I don’t see that doing any damage to the legislation because we still have the core definition of conversion therapy,” Clark said during the January 5 meeting. “I don’t know that it really matters what we say that it doesn’t mean, as long as we say what it does mean.”
Columbus and Cincinnati have similar wording in their ordinances, as do many municipalities in Ohio with a local ban.
Oberlin did not respond to The Buckeye Flame’s requests for comment on whether the SCOTUS opinion changes the “core definition,” and whether their ordinance is being reviewed.
Waiting for guidance
Despite the ruling, Ohio municipalities should not repeal their current bans “in a knee-jerk reaction to the ruling,” said Dwayne Steward, executive director of Equality Ohio. The statewide LGBTQ+ advocacy nonprofit will release guidance for cities with conversion therapy bans “in the coming weeks.” He emphasized that the SCOTUS decision addresses regulatory authority and does not legitimize conversion therapy itself.
“A simple change in the enforcement language can bring current policies into compliance,” Steward said in a statement to The Buckeye Flame. “Equality Ohio remains committed to advancing a statewide ban and will continue working with lawmakers to craft policies that withstand legal scrutiny while prioritizing the safety and well-being of young people.”
Resolutions can be an effective tool to spread accurate information about how conversion therapy harms LGTBQ+ Ohioans, Steward said. Municipalities use resolutions to officially declare something and is not law unlike an ordinance. In the meantime, Equality Ohio has pledged to help localities and work with legal experts and advocates.
“Equality Ohio’s commitment is unwavering – we will continue fighting to protect LGBTQ+ Ohioans affected by the shameful practice of conversion therapy through legislation, local advocacy and survivor-centered accountability,” Steward said.
State Democrats introduced bills in the House and Senate in 2025 to ban conversion therapy on minors statewide. Neither bill has been scheduled for a hearing. 🔥
IGNITE ACTION
- To learn more about Equality Ohio, visit its website here.
- If you are a young LGBTQ+ person in crisis, please contact the Trevor Project: 866-4-U-Trevor.
- If you are an transgender adult in crisis, please contact the National Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860.
- To learn more about LGBTQ+ legislation in Ohio, read The Buckeye Flame’s 2025-2026 legislation guide here.
Know an LGBTQ+ Ohio story we should cover? TELL US!
Submit a story!
