A US federal magistrate judge has said that a ban on gay cure therapy should be blocked because it violates constitutional free speech protections. Evangelical law firm Liberty Counsel had brought a legal challenge against a 2017 ordinance passed in Tampa, Florida, that sought to outlaw conversion therapy on minors. Similar laws banning gay cure therapy have been passed in 15 US states and dozens of cities across the country, but the legislative push faces opposition from extreme religious groups and conservative lawmakers.