Tennessee’s ban on certain medical treatments for transgender youth is causing difficulties for families with transgender children. The Supreme Court is currently reviewing a legal challenge to this ban.
Tennessee’s ban on certain medical treatments for transgender youth is causing families of transgender children to face difficult decisions. The Supreme Court is currently considering a legal challenge to this ban.
The ban has had a significant impact on the lives of young people who are transgender, overshadowing their typical experiences as adolescents.
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Written by Emily Cochrane
Writing from Nashville
After Tennessee passed a law banning gender-transition care for children, some families decided to leave the state immediately, leaving their homes and schools behind. Others stayed behind, making sacrifices such as cutting back on expenses to afford travel to out-of-state doctor appointments for their children.
Some people who have chosen to remain in Tennessee are still open to the idea of moving away at some point in the future.
Families are feeling incredibly anxious as the Supreme Court reviews a challenge to a Tennessee law. They are worried that if the ban is upheld, it could worsen the care available for their transgender children, especially with the new administration’s plans to impose more restrictions on their lives.
Kristen Chapman, who moved away from Tennessee with her teenage daughter after the law was enacted, explained that dealing with the situation made her adopt a new mindset of constantly having to explain that she didn’t have any good choices. She compared it to experiencing a natural disaster within her family, as it altered her feelings and sense of well-being.
Parents from five different families, along with three of the children, were willing to participate in interviews on the condition of anonymity. They expressed fears of facing consequences and ongoing harassment.
In my opinion, if your child comes to you and expresses their identity and needs, it is your responsibility as a parent to provide them with support.
Kristen Chapman
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