Tennessee’s gender-affirming care ban reaches the Supreme Court

Last week the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case challenging a ban on gender-affirming medical care in Tennessee. The 2023 state law bans access to hormones, puberty blockers and other treatments for minors seeking gender-affirming care. US Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar argued that those same treatments are still available for treating other conditions in minors including early onset puberty, but the court seems unlikely to be convinced, with conservative justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett concerned about parental rights and potential detransition. The ruling is not expected for many months, but will impact children beyond Tennessee. The Williams Institute at UCLA estimates there are more than 300,000 transgender youth aged 13-17 in the US. More than 90 per cent live in states where laws restricting their rights have either been passed or proposed.