Families with transgender children in Tennessee are facing difficult decisions due to the state’s ban on certain types of medical care for transgender youth. The Supreme Court is currently reviewing a legal challenge to this ban.
Tennessee’s ban on 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.
The ban has impacted children and teenagers, causing their typical adolescent experiences to be impacted by the additional factor of being transgender.
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Written by Emily Cochrane
Writing from the city
When Tennessee prohibited gender-transition care for children, some families decided to leave immediately, leaving their homes and schools. Others opted to stay, prioritizing doctor appointments out of state by reducing expenses on vacations and Christmas.
Some residents who have chosen to remain in Tennessee are still considering the option of moving away in the future.
Families are feeling extremely anxious about the outcome of the Supreme Court hearing on Wednesday regarding the Tennessee law. They are worried that a decision in support of the ban, which was approved last year, could put their children’s care at risk, especially with the new Trump administration planning to impose more restrictions on transgender individuals.
Kristen Chapman, who moved from Tennessee with her teenage daughter after the law was enacted, explains that living under such circumstances forces you to adopt a new mindset. It’s like dealing with a natural disaster within your own family, altering your sense of self and comfort.
Five families, along with three of their children, agreed to participate in interviews on the condition of anonymity due to fears of revenge and ongoing harassment.
In my opinion, when your child tells you who they are and what they need, it is your responsibility as a parent to provide them with the support they require.
The name Kristen Chapman
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