Tennessee’s ban on certain medical care 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 families of 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.
The ban has impacted children and teenagers, causing their typical experiences as adolescents to be overshadowed by the fact that they identify as transgender.
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Written by Emily Cochrane
Writing from the city
Some families quickly moved out of Tennessee after the state banned gender-transition care for their children. Others decided to stay, making sacrifices like reducing vacations and holiday spending to travel out of state for doctor appointments.
Even individuals who have chosen to remain in Tennessee are keeping open the option of moving away 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 make it even harder to access necessary care for their children, especially with the Trump administration planning to impose more restrictions on transgender individuals.
Kristen Chapman expressed that when faced with limited choices due to external circumstances, such as leaving Tennessee following a new law, it can feel like being forced into a different way of living. She likened it to a natural disaster within the family, as it alters one’s sense of self and comfort.
Five families and three children agreed to be interviewed 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, as a parent, your role is to help and encourage them in that.
The name Kristen Chapman
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