Left-wing organizations have criticized the Supreme Court decision upholding Tennessee’s law banning gender transition treatments for minors.
In 2023, Tennessee passed Senate Bill (SB) 1, which protected Tennessee children from treatments such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and sex change surgeries.
On Monday, in a 6-3 decision, America’s highest court ruled the law is not subject to the heightened scrutiny of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
“This case carries with it the weight of fierce scientific and policy debates about the safety, efficacy, and propriety of medical treatments in an evolving field. The Equal Protection Clause does not resolve these disagreements,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion.
“The Court’s role is not ‘to judge the wisdom, fairness, or logic’ of SB1[…]but only to ensure that the law does not violate equal protection guarantees. It does not. Questions regarding the law’s policy are thus appropriately left to the people, their elected representatives, and the democratic process,” he added.
After this ruling came out, Chase Strangio, co-director of the ACLU’s LGBTQ & HIV Project, said this ruling was a “painful setback.”
Strangio said this ruling does not mean transgender people and their allies are left without any options.
“The Court left undisturbed Supreme Court and lower court precedent,” which outlines “examples of discrimination against transgender people are unlawful,” the lawyer explained.
Sasha Buchert, the director of the Nonbinary and Transgender Rights Project at Lambda Legal, said the Supreme Court’s ruling was “heartbreaking.” Burchert said this ruling makes it “more difficult for transgender youth to escape the danger and trauma of being denied their ability to live and thrive.”
The director called Wednesday a “sad day” with the implications reverberating “for years and across the country.” However, Buchert said this doesn’t “shake” Lambda Legal’s resolve to continue fighting for transgender people.
Lucas Cameron-Vaughn, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Tennessee, stated the Supreme Court’s ruling “told Tennessee transgender youth and their families that they cannot access healthcare that is vitally important for a successful life.”
“This ruling creates a class of people who politicians believe deserve healthcare, and a class of people who do not,” Cameron-Vaughn explained.
Human Rights Campaign, America’s largest LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, said the Supreme Court has “imperiled access to health care for trans youth by upholding Tennessee’s ban on affirming care for trans youth and ruling that this anti-trans law is not unconstitutional.”
“This ruling places significant legal hurdles in our fight for LGBTQ+ freedom, but our commitment to equality without exception is unwavering. Our community has overcome legal challenges before, and we will do it again,” the left-wing organization said.
The Trevor Project, which is an LGBTQ+ organization, said Wednesday delivered “two devastating blows to LGBTQ+ youth.”
“The Supreme Court just upheld Tennessee’s ban on healthcare for trans youth. And the Trump administration announced it will shut down the national LGBTQ+ youth suicide lifeline — effective in 30 days. A service that Trevor has staffed since its inception,” the organization said.
“This is not just policy. This is life and livelihood,” it added.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network. Email tips to Zachery at [email protected].
