Quick Takeaways

• Parents remain the primary decision makers for their children's healthcare in most states, including decisions related to gender questioning or gender dysphoria.

• Your God-given responsibility to guide your child does not require you to outsource that role to any practitioner, program, or organization.

• Laws protecting minors from conversion therapy exist to shield families from fraudulent practices, not to diminish parental authority.

• Genuine faith-based support keeps families connected rather than dividing them.

• You can stay rooted in your faith while protecting your child from harmful interventions.

When a child begins questioning their gender identity, Christian parents often feel caught between two fears: doing too little and doing too much. You want to protect your child. You want to honor your faith. And you want to know where you stand legally.

The good news is this: you are still your child's parent. No outside organization, practitioner, or ideology should override your God-given responsibility to protect and nurture your family.

What Parental Rights Actually Mean

In most states, parents hold primary decision-making authority over their children's healthcare. This includes decisions related to gender confusion or same-sex attraction. Courts have long recognized that families, not institutions, know what is best for their children.

As one Christian father testified in recent Supreme Court filings, the tradition of respecting the special role of parents in raising their children matters deeply. When governments or outside practitioners try to intrude on the relationship between parents and their children, every parent should be concerned.

But here is the critical distinction many families miss: protecting parental rights does not mean handing your child over to anyone who claims to have answers. It means staying engaged, staying informed, and staying present.

What the Law Actually Protects

Laws that regulate conversion therapy exist in more than 20 states. These laws do not remove parental authority. Instead, they protect families from licensed practitioners who promise outcomes they cannot deliver.

Colorado's Minor Conversion Therapy Law, now at the center of Chiles v. Salazar, was enacted as part of the state's Mental Health Practice Act to safeguard the public health, safety, and welfare of Coloradans. The law prohibits licensed professionals from practicing conversion therapy on minors because these practices fall below accepted standards of care.

Parents can still seek pastoral counseling, have honest conversations with their children, and pursue faith-aligned support. What parents cannot do is pay a licensed therapist to attempt to change their child's sexual orientation or gender identity through methods that have been ruled fraudulent in court.

Why This Matters for Christian Families

Martha Conley, a deeply religious mother, sent her son Garrard to a conversion therapy program after learning he was gay. The program led Garrard into a deep depression. Martha and her husband remain people of faith, but they now use their experience to help other families avoid similar heartbreak.

Martha is not alone. Parent after parent has shared the same pattern: they sought help from practitioners who promised restoration. Instead, they watched those programs divide their families rather than heal them.

As parents, we are vulnerable when someone tells us our child can be fixed. We want to believe there is a way to make their path easier. Laws like Colorado's protect families from being misled by those who would profit from our fear and love.

Protecting Your Rights the Right Way

Your role as a parent is the single most important factor in your child's health and well-being. Research consistently shows that family acceptance protects youth from depression, substance abuse, and suicide risk.

This does not mean you have to have all the answers today. It does not mean abandoning your faith or immediately changing your beliefs. It means staying in the room with your child, staying connected, and resisting anyone who claims they can deliver a quick fix.

One Christian mother put it simply: you can keep grieving the child you thought you had, or you can show up fully for the child you do have. That is what exercising your parental rights actually looks like.

Finding Support That Keeps Families Together

True therapy strengthens families rather than dividing them. Faith-based alternatives to conversion therapy do exist, and they focus on helping families navigate difficult seasons together rather than attempting to change a child's core identity.

Resources like The Christian Family Companion offer day-by-day guidance rooted in faith for parents walking this path. You do not have to figure this out alone, and you do not have to trust practitioners who promise more than they can deliver.

Your child needs you to be present, informed, and engaged. That is your right as a parent, and it is also your greatest responsibility.

FAQs

Do I have the legal right to make healthcare decisions for my child regarding gender identity? 

Yes. In most states, parents remain the primary decision makers for their children's healthcare, including decisions related to gender questioning. Laws protecting minors from conversion therapy do not eliminate parental rights but rather protect families from fraudulent practices.

Can I still seek faith-based counseling for my child? 

Yes. Laws regulating conversion therapy apply to licensed mental health professionals attempting to change a child's orientation or identity. Parents can still pursue pastoral counseling, faith-based family support, and open conversations guided by their values.

What is Chiles v. Salazar and why should I care? 

Chiles v. Salazar is a case before the Supreme Court challenging Colorado's law protecting minors from conversion therapy. The outcome could affect how states regulate licensed practitioners and what protections exist for families across the country.

What is the difference between conversion therapy and faith-based support? 

Conversion therapy attempts to change a child's sexual orientation or gender identity through discredited methods. Faith-based support focuses on strengthening family relationships, providing emotional care, and walking alongside families without promising to change who a child is.

How can I protect my parental rights while also protecting my child? 

Stay engaged in your child's care rather than outsourcing decisions to outside practitioners. Seek support from resources created by parents who have walked this path. Prioritize your relationship with your child above quick fixes that promise more than they can deliver.