Tennessee’s ban on certain medical treatments for transgender youth is causing difficult decisions for families. 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 medical treatments for transgender youth. The Supreme Court will be considering a legal challenge to this ban on Wednesday.
The ban has had a significant impact on the young individuals who are both transgender and in their adolescent years, overshadowing their typical experiences during this stage of life.
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Written by Emily Cochrane
Writing from the city
After Tennessee prohibited gender-transition care for children, some families decided to leave immediately, leaving their homes and withdrawing their kids from school. Other families opted to stay, reducing their expenses on holidays and gifts to afford traveling out of state for medical appointments.
Some people who have chosen to remain in Tennessee still acknowledge the chance that they may decide to leave the state at some point in the future.
Families are feeling extreme pressure as the Supreme Court reviews a challenge to a Tennessee law. They are concerned that if the ban is upheld, it could impact the care their children receive, especially with the new Trump administration promising to implement restrictions on transgender individuals.
Kristen Chapman, who relocated from Tennessee with her teenage daughter after the law was enacted, expressed the difficulty of constantly having to explain that she did not choose her circumstances and had no good options available. She likened the experience to a natural disaster within her family, altering her sense of self and comfort in her surroundings.
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, as a parent, it is important to support your child when they come to you and express their identity and needs.
The name Kristen Chapman
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