Raw Story: Supreme Court signals it will uphold 'state-sanctioned discrimination' in transgender care

[Dennis Donovan]

Raw Story - Supreme Court signals it will uphold 'state-sanctioned discrimination' in transgender care

Julia Conley, Common Dreams
December 5, 2024 6:37AM ET

Attorneys who argued against Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming healthcare at the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed hope that the court's nine justices will take "the opportunity to affirm the essential freedom and equality of all people before the law," while reports indicated that the right-wing majority is inclined to uphold the ban.

"Every day this law inflicts further pain, injustice, and discrimination on families in Tennessee and prevents them from receiving the medical care they need," said Lucas Cameron-Vaughn, staff attorney at the ACLU of Tennessee, which represented three families and a physician. "We ask the Supreme Court to commit to upholding the promises of the U.S. Constitution for all people by putting an end to Tennessee's state-sanctioned discrimination against trans youth and their families."

The law, S.B. 1, which was passed in March 2023, bars medical providers from prescribing puberty-delaying medications, other hormonal treatment, and surgical procedures to transgender minors and youths with gender dysphoria.

The Supreme Court case, United States v. Skrmetti, applies only to the ban on puberty blockers and hormonal therapy for minors; a lower court found the plaintiffs did not have legal standing to challenge the surgery ban.

The ACLU, the ACLU of Tennessee, Lambda Legal, and a law firm were joined by the Biden administration in arguing that Tennessee allows doctors to prescribe puberty blockers and other hormonal treatments for youths with congenital defects, early puberty, diseases, or physical injuries.

As such, said the plaintiffs, Tennessee's ban for transgender and nonbinary youths violates the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment, which guarantees equal treatment under the law.

/snip

[Vinca]

1. I guess there is no personal autonomy anymore. No more parental rights. No reason to consult medical experts either.

We've got a bunch of old, mostly white, mostly male politicians and judges tell us how we must live. I never thought I'd see this day.

[Redleg]

2. But they will still permit the use of puberty blockers to non-trans kids.

I am almost certain of that. They will use the excuse that it is a medical necessity rather than elective use of hormone treatments.