Tennessee’s ban on certain medical care for transgender youth is causing families of transgender children to make difficult decisions. 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 to face difficult decisions. The Supreme Court is set to hear a legal challenge regarding this ban on Wednesday.
The ban has impacted children and teenagers who are transgender, causing their typical experiences of adolescence to be influenced by their gender identity.
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Written by Emily Cochrane
Writing from the city
Some families quickly left Tennessee after the state banned gender-transition care for children, leaving their homes and withdrawing their kids from school. Other families decided to stay, adjusting their budgets to afford trips out of state for necessary medical appointments.
Some individuals who have chosen to remain in Tennessee are still considering the option of relocating elsewhere in the future.
Families are feeling extreme pressure as the Supreme Court reviews a challenge to a Tennessee law. They are worried that if the ban is upheld, it could put their children’s care at risk, especially with the Trump administration promising to impose more restrictions on transgender individuals.
Kristen Chapman, who moved out of Tennessee with her teenage daughter after the law was enacted, shared that dealing with the situation made her feel like she had to adapt to a new way of living. She compared it to experiencing a natural disaster within her own family, as it altered her sense of self and comfort.
Five families and three children agreed to participate in interviews on the condition of anonymity due to fears of retaliation and ongoing harassment.
In my opinion, when your child tells you who they are and what they need, your role as a parent is to provide them with support in that.
The name Kristen Chapman
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