The Supreme Court on Monday rejected over the objections of three conservative justices a Christian therapist’s free speech challenge to a Washington state ban on so-called conversion therapy aimed at changing a child’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Favored by some conservatives, the widely criticized practice is aimed at encouraging gay or lesbian minors to change their sexual orientations and transgender children to identify as the gender identities assigned to them at birth. Washington is one of 26 states that have barred or restricted such therapy for minors, the state’s lawyers say. The court’s decision not to take up the case means the law remains intact. Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson made a statement congratulating the LGBTQ+ community of Washington and calling it their victory. However, Brian Tingley, a licensed marriage and family counselor, said the law violates his free speech rights under the Constitution’s First Amendment because the government is seeking to dictate what he says. On this, Ferguson, defending the law, said in court papers that it was not a pressing issue considering that Tingley is the only licensed therapist in the state who has objected to it. The Supreme Court has previously turned down challenges to similar conversion therapy restrictions in other states, but in recent years the court’s conservative majority has been strengthened, giving the bloc a solid 6-3 majority. #Queer Up Courts