The United States Supreme Court has ruled that a Tennessee law prohibiting the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapy to treat gender dysphoria in minors does not violate the Constitution. This decision, handed down on Monday, marks a significant moment in the ongoing legal battles over access to gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
According to reports from the Associated Press, the high court subsequently nullified several lower court rulings that had sided with transgender plaintiffs in similar cases across four states—Idaho, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and West Virginia. These appellate rulings had previously found that state-level restrictions on medical care and documentation for transgender individuals violated the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
Following the Tennessee decision, the justices ordered federal appellate courts in those four states to revisit their rulings in light of the new precedent.
However, the Supreme Court did not take any immediate action on related cases from Arizona, Idaho, and West Virginia concerning the participation of transgender students in school sports. Observers say the court may decide as early as Thursday whether to hear those cases during its next term.
The Tennessee law at the heart of the decision prohibits gender-transition-related treatments such as hormone therapy and puberty blockers for individuals under the age of 18. Supporters argue the law protects minors from irreversible medical interventions, while critics claim it infringes on the rights of transgender youth and their families.