Tennessee Ban on Trans Procedures for Minors Brought to SCOTUS

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Facts

• The families of three transgender youths and a doctor have asked SCOTUS to block Tennessee's ban on transgender procedures for minors — a case that, if taken on by the court, would be the first time it weighs in on the issue of puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and sex change surgeries for children.¹
• The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Wednesday also petitioned SCOTUS to review a September decision by the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals that allowed Kentucky and Tennessee to enforce their laws prohibiting sex change procedures for people under 18 years of age.²
• Tennessee’s SB1 prohibits medical providers from performing procedures which “enable a minor to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the minor’s sex” or “treat purported discomfort or distress from a discordance between the minor’s sex and asserted identity.” A federal judge temporarily blocked part of the law before the 6th Circuit overruled that decision.³
• Tennessee’s law will allow ongoing treatments to continue through March 31, after which violators could face a $25K fine and other punitive measures.²
• Over 20 states have reportedly passed laws banning or restricting sex change procedures for minors in the last three years. The ACLU claims Tennessee's ban violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.⁴
• The nonprofit says it's planning a similar appeal in Kentucky as various appellate courts have rendered diverging decisions on different states’ bans: The 11th Circuit in Atlanta allowed Alabama to enforce its ban, while the 8th Circuit in St. Louis blocked Arkansas' restrictions.⁵

Sources: ¹NBC, ²Associated Press, ³CNN, ⁴Daily Caller and ⁵USA Today.

Narratives

• Left narrative, as provided by Them. Three brave transgender teens in Tennessee are standing up for their right to necessary medical treatment in the face of right-wing lawmakers who seek to deny their identity. Gender-affirming care is a medical necessity for thousands of trans youths throughout the nation, yet Republicans seek to deny equal protection to the LGBTQ+ community. The court must affirm their right to the care they need.
• Right narrative, as provided by Daily Wire. Tennessee has taken action to protect children — who cannot smoke, drink, or sign a legal contract — from undergoing life-altering procedures that are unsafe, untested, and can cause long-term physical and fertility issues. Many states are rightly refusing to appease gender ideologues at the expense of America's youth, and their efforts have been upheld by Appeals Courts. Laws protecting children must be enforced.