Families with transgender children in Tennessee are being forced to make 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.
Tennessee’s ban on certain medical treatments 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 ban has had a significant impact on the everyday lives of children and teenagers who are transgender, as it has overshadowed their typical adolescent experiences.
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Written by Emily Cochrane
Writing from the city
Once Tennessee prohibited gender-transition care for children, some families quickly left their homes and withdrew their kids from school. Other families decided to stay but had to adjust their budgets to afford traveling out of state for doctor appointments.
Some people who have chosen to remain in Tennessee are still considering the option of moving away 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 access care for their children, especially with the new administration promising to implement more restrictions on transgender individuals.
Kristen Chapman, who left Tennessee with her teenage daughter after the law was implemented, expressed the challenges of constantly having to explain that she did not choose her situation and that there are no ideal solutions. She likened the experience to a natural disaster that alters one’s sense of self and comfort.
Parents from five families and three children consented to be interviewed on the condition of anonymity due to fears of reprisal and ongoing harassment.
I believe that as a parent, it is important to support your child when they express their true identity and needs to you.
The name is Kristen
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