The families of transgender children in Tennessee are being faced with 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 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 ban has had a significant impact on the lives of young people who are transgender, overshadowing their typical experiences of adolescence.
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Written by Emily Cochrane
Reporting live from the
Some families decided to leave Tennessee after the state banned gender-transition care for their children, while others stayed behind and made sacrifices to travel out of state for doctor appointments.
There are still some people who have chosen to remain in Tennessee but are considering the option of moving away in the future.
Families are feeling immense pressure as the Supreme Court considers a challenge to a Tennessee law. They are worried that if the ban is upheld, it could impact the care their children receive, especially with the new restrictions on transgender individuals promised by the incoming Trump administration.
Kristen Chapman, who moved from Tennessee with her teenage daughter after the law was enacted, explained that having to constantly remind herself that she did not choose this situation and that there are no good options forces her to adopt a new mindset. She compared the experience to a natural disaster impacting her family, as it alters her behavior and sense of comfort.
Parents from five different families, along with three of their children, consented 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 who they are and what they need, it is your responsibility as a parent to help and encourage them in that.
The name Kristen Chapman
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