Families with transgender children in Tennessee are facing difficult decisions due to the state’s ban on certain medical treatments for transgender youth. The Supreme Court is currently reviewing a legal challenge to this ban.
The families of transgender children in Tennessee are facing difficult decisions due to the state’s ban on certain types of medical care for transgender youth. The Supreme Court is currently reviewing a legal challenge to this ban.
The ban has had a significant impact on the lives of young people who are transgender, causing their usual experiences during adolescence to be disrupted.
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Written by Emily Cochrane
Reporting live from the
After Tennessee prohibited gender-transition care for children, some families decided to leave immediately, leaving their homes and withdrawing their children from school. Others opted to stay, adjusting their budgets by reducing vacations and holiday expenses in order to travel out of state for medical appointments.
Some individuals who have chosen to remain in Tennessee have not completely dismissed the idea of relocating elsewhere in the future.
Families are feeling a lot of pressure as the Supreme Court reviews a challenge to a Tennessee law. They are worried that if the ban is upheld, it could make it even harder to get proper care for their children, especially with the new Trump administration planning to impose more restrictions on transgender individuals.
Kristen Chapman, who moved from Tennessee with her teenage daughter after the law was passed, explained that dealing with a situation where there are no good options forces you to adapt to a new way of being. She likened it to experiencing a natural disaster within your own family, as it alters your sense of self and comfort.
Five families and three children agreed to be interviewed on the condition of anonymity due to fears of retaliation and ongoing harassment.
In my opinion, as a parent, it is important to support your child if they come to you and express their true identity and needs.
The name Kristen Chapman
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