Tennessee’s ban on certain medical care for transgender youth is causing difficult decisions for families with transgender children. The Supreme Court is reviewing a legal challenge to this ban on Wednesday.
The families of 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 reviewing a legal challenge to this ban on Wednesday.
The ban has had a significant impact on the everyday lives of children and teenagers who are transgender, overshadowing their typical adolescent experiences.
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Written by Emily Cochrane
Writing from Nashville
Some families decided to leave Tennessee after the state banned gender-transition care for their children, while others stayed behind and made sacrifices like reducing vacation and holiday spending to travel out of state for doctor appointments.
Some residents who have chosen to stay in Tennessee are still considering the option of leaving the state at some point in the future.
Families are feeling extremely anxious 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 care for their children, especially with the incoming Trump administration planning to impose more restrictions on transgender individuals.
Kristen Chapman, who relocated from Tennessee with her teenage daughter after the law was enacted, described the experience as having to adjust to a new way of living where she constantly has to explain that she didn’t have a choice and there are no good options. She compared it to experiencing a natural disaster within her family, as it alters her sense of self and comfort.
Parents from five different families, along with three of the children, consented to participate in interviews on the condition of anonymity due to fears of reprisal and ongoing harassment.
In my opinion, when your child expresses their identity and their needs to you, it is your responsibility as a parent to provide them with support.
Kristen Chapman
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