Prom
Since 2021, 26 states have placed limitations on gender-transition treatments for minors. In 18 states, bans on these treatments have been contested by transgender minors, their families, caregivers, and healthcare providers, leading to varying outcomes.
The New York Times analyzed court records and state laws to identify states that have implemented bans on gender-affirming care for minors. The Movement Advancement Project also provided information on this topic. It’s important to note that Georgia’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors does not extend to puberty blockers. Additionally, Idaho’s ban on this type of care is currently blocked for two plaintiffs.
Written by Amy Harmon
This week, the Supreme Court is considering a challenge to a Tennessee law that originated in 2021, when Arkansas was the first state to pass a law preventing gender-transition treatments for minors. Alabama also passed a similar law in 2022. Tennessee’s law was part of a larger effort among Republican-controlled legislatures in 28 states to restrict doctors from providing puberty blockers, hormone therapies, or surgery to transgender minors. New Hampshire and Arizona have also banned surgeries for transgender minors.
The reason for the ban in Florida was examined by federal district judge Robert Hinkle, who believed that some lawmakers were motivated by discriminatory attitudes. Republican lawmakers in various states have stated that they are trying to protect young people from a lifestyle they may not fully understand. Republican strategists believe that making this issue a priority could help them win in the 2024 election.
United States v. Skrmetti is a case challenging Tennessee’s ban on abortions, one of 18 similar cases that have been filed in the last three years. The highest courts in Texas and Nebraska have supported their bans, while federal district judges in Florida and Arkansas have ruled against bans in those states. However, these decisions are currently being appealed. In Alabama and Indiana, preliminary injunctions blocking enforcement of abortion bans were reversed by appeals courts. There are 11 other cases in different stages of legal proceedings.
The decision made by the Supreme Court in the Skrmetti case is likely to influence how lower courts address challenges to similar laws in various states. However, the outcome may not be the same in every case.
Jim Campbell, the chief counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal group supporting Idaho’s ban on transition treatments for minors, expressed that if Tennessee wins the case, one side will claim that Skrmetti controls, while the other side will argue the opposite. The losing side will likely argue that the situation is different and provide reasons to support their stance.
Amy Harmon explores the impact of changing ideas about gender on daily experiences in the United States. Learn more about Amy Harmon.
Prom
Page Directory
Navigation for Site Information