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 the ban on Wednesday.
Tennessee’s ban on certain medical treatments for transgender youth is causing difficult decisions for families with transgender children. The Supreme Court is currently reviewing a legal challenge to this ban.
The ban has impacted children and teenagers, causing their typical experiences of adolescence to be overpowered by their transgender identities.
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Written by Emily Cochrane
Sending updates from Nashville
Some families decided to leave their homes and schools after Tennessee prohibited gender-transition care for their children. Other families stayed behind, making sacrifices such as reducing vacations and holiday spending in order to travel out of state for necessary medical appointments.
Some individuals who have chosen to remain in Tennessee have not completely dismissed the idea of relocating elsewhere 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 a decision in favor of the ban, which was enacted last year, could worsen the quality of care for their children. This concern is heightened by the incoming Trump administration’s promise to enforce limitations on the rights of transgender individuals.
Kristen Chapman, who left Tennessee with her teenage daughter after the law was enacted, expressed the challenges of constantly having to explain that she didn’t have a choice and there were no good options. She likened the experience to a natural disaster affecting her family, altering their sense of well-being and identity.
Parents from five different families, along with three of the children, agreed to participate in interviews on the condition of anonymity due to fears of retaliation and ongoing harassment.
In my opinion, if your child tells you about their identity and needs, it is your responsibility as a parent to provide them with support.
Kristen Chapman
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