{"id":2344380,"date":"2024-09-22T06:09:02","date_gmt":"2024-09-22T10:09:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/red-state-bans-on-transgender-procedures-for-minors-lead-supreme-courts-next-term-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-09-22T06:12:00","modified_gmt":"2024-09-22T10:12:00","slug":"red-state-bans-on-transgender-procedures-for-minors-lead-supreme-courts-next-term-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/red-state-bans-on-transgender-procedures-for-minors-lead-supreme-courts-next-term-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Red state bans on transgender procedures for minors lead Supreme Court\u2019s next term &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fred-state-bans-on-transgender-procedures-for-minors-lead-supreme-courts-next-term-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2344380&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A significant legal battle is \u200bbrewing in the U.S. Supreme Court over \u200dTennessee&#8217;s Senate Bill 1, which limits access to puberty blockers, hormone therapies, and surgeries aimed \u200bat facilitating gender transitions for minors. The Supreme Court\u2062 is intended \u2063to review this constitutional challenge, with oral arguments potentially being \u2064heard as early as December.<\/p>\n<p>The law, which does\u200d not prevent similar procedures for \u2062transgender adults, has emerged\u2063 as a focal\u2062 point\u2062 of contention between conservative lawmakers advocating\u200b for parental rights in medical decisions for minors, and \u2062civil rights organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and \u200cLambda Legal, who argue it violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th \u2063Amendment. The ACLU has expressed that\u200d if \u200bthe law were to take effect, it would force\u2064 transgender youth currently undergoing treatment to cease their care within nine months.<\/p>\n<p>The issue \u200dreflects broader national debates surrounding transgender healthcare, particularly for minors, with arguments centering around the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/in-depth-three-michigan-lawmakers-say-they-were-injured-by-covid-19-vaccines\/\" title=\"3 Michigan lawmakers claim COVID-19 vaccines caused their injuries.\">potential long-term health effects<\/a> and the rights of parents to\u200c make decisions regarding their children\u2019s medical care. Proponents \u200dof gender-affirming care, including\u2063 established medical organizations such as the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, contend that such treatments\u200c are essential for the mental well-being of transgender youth experiencing gender dysphoria.<\/p>\n<p>Opponents of the\u2062 law, \u2062including a couple from Nashville \u200dand a medical provider\u200b from Kentucky, argue that evidence supports the effectiveness\u2062 of puberty blockers and hormone treatments in improving mental health outcomes for gender-diverse adolescents. Conversely, a report from the UK&#8217;s National Health Service \u2063questioning the foundations of such hormonal\u200c therapies suggests \u2063a more cautious approach, prioritizing\u200c comprehensive mental \u200chealth assessments.<\/p>\n<p>The outcome of this case could set\u200d a significant precedent, influencing similar laws in\u2063 numerous states and determining the future of gender-affirming healthcare access for minors across the country. Should the Supreme Court rule\u200c against the Tennessee law, it may pave the way for broader protections for transgender youth amidst ongoing legislative challenges within various states.<\/p>\n<p>Political factors, including\u200d the upcoming 2024 presidential election, may also complicate the case&#8217;s\u200d trajectory. Changes in administration could lead to shifts in legal strategy or even the dismissal of the case. The implications of this ruling may extend \u2064beyond the immediate legal context, reflecting\u2063 a \u200ddeeply polarized societal \u200bview on transgender rights and healthcare access.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Red state bans on transgender procedures for minors lead Supreme Court&rsquo;s next term<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1763698\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Supreme-Court\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Supreme Court<\/a> is poised to grapple with one of the most hotly-contested culture war disputes before the end of this year: whether parents have a right to defend their children from undergoing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/transgender\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">transgender<\/a> procedures.<\/p>\n<p>As early as December, the nine justices could hear oral arguments over a constitutional challenge to a Tennessee law that restricts access to puberty blockers, hormone therapies, and surgeries for the purpose of gender transitions for minors. The law does not bar these procedures for transgender adults.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A protester holds a poster calling for lawmakers to protect transgender children by voting against House Bill 1125, which would ban gender-affirming care for transgender children, at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. (AP Photo\/Rogelio V. Solis)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Tennessee Attorney General John Skrmetti (R) recently described the battle to defend the state&rsquo;s law as one between &ldquo;a few scrappy Tennessee attorneys&rdquo; versus the American Civil Liberties Union and Lambda Legal, two of the largest firms that often promote pro-LGBT and transgender causes.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;And then the Justice Department jumped in,&rdquo; Skrmetti said during a Sept. 17 appearance on the&nbsp;<em>Michael Patrick Leahy Show<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I am proud of the team that&rsquo;s been working on this case,&rdquo; he added.<\/p>\n<p>The advent of allowing people under the age of 18 to undergo chemical- and surgical-based gender transitions has become a hotbed of contention. Republicans say parents should have the right to intervene or dispute whether their children can undergo these treatments, primarily on the basis that the treatments can have life-altering impacts on fertility and long-term health well after puberty.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the ACLU <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aclu.org\/cases\/l-w-v-skrmetti#news-and-commentary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>professed<\/a> that the law, which is currently not in effect pending this litigation, would &ldquo;require trans youth currently receiving gender-affirming care to end that care within nine months of the law&rsquo;s effective date.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This means, for example, a doctor could prescribe estrogen to a cisgender teenage girl for any clinical diagnosis but could not do the same for a transgender girl diagnosed with gender dysphoria,&rdquo; according to the ACLU.<\/p>\n<p>The case, which has yet to be scheduled for arguments,&nbsp;is likely to be one of the most contentious courtroom battles since the Supreme Court overturned <em>Roe v. Wade <\/em>in the summer of 2022, which allowed states to impose gestational limits on abortion.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People protest about abortion, Thursday, June 23, 2022, outside the Supreme Court in Washington.(AP Photo\/Jose Luis Magana)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Protests continued for months after a leaked draft opinion in May 2022 signaled the overturning of <em>Roe, <\/em>and the ACLU is already calling on supporters of transgender procedures to &ldquo;Show Up at the Court.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The moment the court releases its schedule, the ACLU will let our supporters know how to join us outside the court for a rally. We need a joyful, peaceful, and loud show of support for transgender people and their families,&rdquo; the group said in a Sept. 5 blog post to its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aclu.org\/news\/lgbtq-rights\/the-supreme-court-case-on-trans-health-care-explained\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>webpage<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Facts of the Case<\/h2>\n<p>The Supreme Court has been asked to decide whether Tennessee&rsquo;s Senate Bill 1, which blocks all medical treatments intended to allow &ldquo;a minor to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the minor&rsquo;s sex&rdquo; or to treat &ldquo;purported discomfort or distress from a discordance between the minor&rsquo;s sex and asserted identity,&rdquo; violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.<\/p>\n<p>A decision in the case, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/docket\/docketfiles\/html\/public\/23-477.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"U.S. v. Skrmetti\">U.S. v. Skrmetti<\/a><\/em>, will determine whether access to transgender procedures for minors will be blocked in Tennessee and Kentucky, two states where a federal appeals court sided in favor of these restrictions.<\/p>\n<p>However, the ruling will greatly inform lower courts as to whether similar laws in 24 states that ban hormone therapy for minors can survive constitutional scrutiny.<\/p>\n<p>Some states have had success defending the laws in court from lawsuits backed by the ACLU, which initially brought lawsuits against Tennessee and Kentucky before the government intervened. Meanwhile, states such as Montana and Arkansas have seen similar bans blocked by federal judges.<\/p>\n<p>In July of last year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit sided with Tennessee and Kentucky laws banning transgender treatments for minors. The DOJ subsequently intervened and requested the Supreme Court to rule on whether the laws are constitutional.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Stacy Cay, a transgender woman, displays some of the hormone therapy drugs she has stockpiled, Thursday, April 20, 2023, at her home in Overland Park, Kansas. (AP Photo\/Charlie Riedel)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The question in <em>Skrmetti <\/em>is more narrowly tailored to hormone therapies, such as replacement therapy and puberty blockers, and does not implicate surgeries.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The law also prohibits surgical procedures provided for the same purposes, but that prohibition is not at issue here,&rdquo; according to the complaint from Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Medical debate on transgender medicine for minors<\/h2>\n<p>The plaintiffs in the case include a Nashville-based couple and their male child who identifies as a girl, and a Kentucky-based medical provider who supports procedures for minors. Plaintiffs cite a wide body of evidence that providing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to teens with gender dysphoria is highly correlated with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/big-pharma-funded-researchers-churn-out-biased-studies-promoting-gender-transitions-for-children\/\" title=\"Big Pharma Funded Researchers Churn Out Biased Studies Promoting Gender Transitions for Children\">improved mental health outcomes<\/a> later in life.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/trans-gender-affirming-care-endocrine-society-evidence-fdb8562c?mod=article_inline\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Endocrine Society<\/a>, the American Medical Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics all support hormonal treatment, including both puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, for youth with gender dysphoria.<\/p>\n<p>Much of the medical criticism on transgender medicine for minors, however, has come from the international community.<\/p>\n<p>In April, a landmark comprehensive<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/restoring-america\/courage-strength-optimism\/2966643\/the-cass-report-should-be-the-death-knell-for-gender-pseudoscience\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> overview<\/a> was published by the United Kingdom&rsquo;s National Health Service, led by renowned British pediatrician Hilary Cass.<\/p>\n<p>The nearly 400-page Cass report ultimately found that evidence for hormonal based therapies to treat gender dysphoria in minors is &ldquo;built on shaky foundations&rdquo; and supported by &ldquo;remarkably weak evidence.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Instead of hormonal or surgical intervention for minors, the Cass report recommends a holistic assessment of the child that takes into account mental, neurodevelopmental, and social factors.<\/p>\n<p>Following the publication of the Cass report, the U.K. NHS officially <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/3102612\/uk-judge-upholds-ban-puberty-blockers-for-gender-dysphoria-children\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>prohibited<\/a> the use of puberty blockers as a treatment for youth with gender dysphoria, and the new Labour government has committed to starting clinical trials to develop more evidence-based standards of care.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In July, an international group of 21 endocrinologists from nine countries pushed back on U.S. guidance on transgender medicine in an open letter published in the <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em>. The group condemned the politicization of youth gender transition in the United States, saying that there is little to no support for hormonal treatment improving the mental health of minors with gender dysphoria.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Precedent on transgender cases<\/h2>\n<p>In 2020, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/opinions\/19pdf\/17-1618_hfci.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><em>Bostock v. Clayton County<\/em><\/a><em> <\/em>that a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/female-athletes-head-to-court-against-connecticut-transgender-sports-policy\/\" title=\"Female athletes challenge Connecticut&#039;s transgender sports policy in court.\">federal law barring sex discrimination<\/a> in employment protects people who identify as LGBT, holding that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects individuals from workplace discrimination.<\/p>\n<p>The ACLU derives its legal argument to fight against Tennessee&rsquo;s law from the foundation of <em>Bostock<\/em>. Likewise, the government contends that the 6th Circuit erred in its <em>Bostock <\/em>analysis when siding with Tennessee.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">FILE &ndash; In this Oct. 8, 2019, file photo, protesters gather outside the Supreme Court in Washington, where the Supreme Court is hearing arguments in the first case of LGBT rights since the retirement of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. LGBT-rights activists are looking ahead as they celebrate a major victory in the Supreme Court regarding job discrimination, They hope the June 15, 2020, decision spurs action against other forms of bias against their community and undermines the Trump administration&rsquo;s near-total ban on military service by transgender people. (AP Photo\/Susan Walsh, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>&ldquo;Transgender adolescents have been treated for gender dysphoria with puberty blockers and hormones for decades,&rdquo; Prelogar wrote in the government&rsquo;s brief, arguing the nine justices should find <em>Bostock <\/em>is applicable to the Republican state laws.<\/p>\n<p>However, Skrmetti argued that <em>Bostock<\/em> and the suit against SB 1 have little to do with one another.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;<em>Bostock <\/em>expressly did &lsquo;not prejudge&rsquo; the meaning of other laws governing sex discrimination,&rdquo; attorneys from Skrmetti&rsquo;s office wrote in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/DocketPDF\/23\/23-477\/299674\/20240202161645864_23-466%20-477%20Brief%20in%20Opposition%20Final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>brief to the high court<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Tennessee attorney general furthered that even if <em>Bostock <\/em>did apply to the contested law, it would support the state, because the precedent emphasized that a court must use a &ldquo;comparator&rdquo; to determine whether an act discriminates.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;In <em>Bostock<\/em>, male and female employees were similarly situated because &lsquo;[a]n individual&rsquo;s homosexuality or transgender status is not relevant to employment decisions,&rsquo;&rdquo; according to the filing from Tennessee&rsquo;s counsel. <\/p>\n<p>By contrast, the act of using testosterone or estrogen to treat a deficiency and restore naturally occurring levels &ldquo;is in no way similar to using those drugs to elevate hormone levels far above the naturally occurring baseline to induce or prevent certain physical changes.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Although <em>Skrmetti<\/em> will be the first Supreme Court case on the constitutionality of laws regulating gender transition medicine, this is not the first time the high court has been asked to weigh in on transgender social issues.<\/p>\n<p>In all other cases surrounding transgender disputes, whether it be bathroom laws or fairness disputes over boys participating in female sports, the justices have declined to weigh in on these issues.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Biden Administration support for transgender medicine<\/h2>\n<p>President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/1588736\/doj-sues-tennessee-to-reverse-ban-on-transgender-surgery-hormones-for-children\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Joe Biden\">Joe Biden<\/a>, in June 2023, <a href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Politics\/biden-condemns-hysterical-ugly-anti-lgbtq-measures\/story?id=99942146\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Joe Biden\">said<\/a> state bills against transgender medical care are &ldquo;cruel and callous.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s wrong that extreme officials are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-contradicts-itself-on-transgender-surgeries-for-minors-washington-examiner-white-house-contradicts-itself-on-transgender-surgeries-for-minors\/\" title=\"White House contradicts itself on transgender surgeries for minors - Washington Examiner White House contradicts itself on transgender surgeries for minors\">pushing hateful bills targeting transgender children<\/a>, terrifying families, and criminalizing doctors,&rdquo; Biden said. &ldquo;These are our kids. These are our neighbors.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">President Joe Biden in the Oval Office at the White House, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo\/Manuel Balce Ceneta)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>But the difference between minors taking hormonal therapies versus pursuing invasive surgeries, such as mastectomy or vaginoplasty, has been a thornier matter for the administration.<\/p>\n<p>Documents<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/3059479\/biden-officials-pressured-remove-age-limits-transgender-surgeries\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> uncovered <\/a>in June revealed that staff for Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of Health and Human Services Rachel Levine&nbsp;pressured an international group of medical experts to remove age limit guidelines for transgender surgeries on minors.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Emails between Levine&rsquo;s staff and officials with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health show that the Biden administration stressed to the organization the political importance of dropping age requirements for obtaining gender transition surgeries, urging the group to change recommendations in their standards of care guidance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The age recommendations, which were in the December 2021 draft of the WPATH Standards of Care, were stripped from the final version published in September 2022.<\/p>\n<p>Levine, a biological male who identifies as a transgender woman, underwent surgical gender transition in 2011, after having been married and fathering two children.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Following outcry about the involvement of Levine&rsquo;s office in the creation of&nbsp; the WPATH guidelines, a White House spokesperson in July <a href=\"https:\/\/19thnews.org\/2024\/07\/white-house-statement-gender-affirming-surgery-minors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>clarified <\/a>that the Biden administration believes &ldquo;these surgeries should be limited to adults.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We continue to support gender-affirming care for minors, which represents a continuum of care, and respect the role of parents, families, and doctors in these decisions,&rdquo; said the White House spokesperson.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Implications of the election on the case<\/h2>\n<p>Despite the high stakes of the case involving Tennessee and Kentucky, the 2024 election and the chance for a change in administrations could lead to the case being tossed out should former President Donald Trump win the race for the White House in November.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>But if oral arguments do happen in December, meaning the case will have been heard before the <span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">next president&rsquo;s Jan. 20 inauguration, some sources involved in the case told the&nbsp;<em>Washington Examiner&nbsp;<\/em>that a Trump administration may seek to change the DOJ&rsquo;s posture on the case while still maintaining the justices&rsquo; ability<\/span> to issue a ruling.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Former President Donald Trump, left, and Vice President Kamala Harris. (AP News)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>In June 2023, Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=C1lugbpMKDU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>put forwarrd<\/a> his &ldquo;plan to stop the chemical, physical and emotional mutilation of our youth&rdquo; through trangender medicine for minors.<\/p>\n<p>Trump promised to issue an executive order to instruct all federal agencies to stop promoting &ldquo;the concept of sex and gender transition at any age.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>He also vowed to ask Congress for legislation to block the use of federal funds for gender transition medical procedures as well as a federal law &ldquo;prohibiting child sexual mutilation in all 50 states.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The former president has continued with similar rhetoric well into 2024.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), will, in all likelihood, continue with the current trajectory of the case.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>made multiple attempts to contact officials with Skrmetti&rsquo;s office and did not receive a response from the ACLU of Tennessee.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1763698\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1763698\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>**Read more&#8230;**<\/p>\n<p>Bans on transgender procedures for minors in conservative states are set to be a significant issue for the upcoming term of the Supreme Court. The justices may soon address a contentious cultural debate regarding parental rights in protecting their children from undergoing transgender treatments. Oral arguments could begin as early as December concerning a constitutional challenge to a Tennessee law that limits access to puberty blockers, hormone therapies, and surgeries aimed at gender transition for minors, while not affecting these procedures for adults.<\/p>\n<p>Tennessee Attorney General John Skrmetti has characterized the legal battle over this law as one between &#8220;a few scrappy Tennessee attorneys&#8221; and major organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Lambda Legal, which advocate for pro-LGBTQ+ rights. He expressed pride in his team&#8217;s efforts during an appearance on September 17.<\/p>\n<p>The issue of allowing individuals under 18 to undergo medical transitions has sparked intense debate. Republicans argue that parents should have authority over whether their children can receive such treatments due to potential long-term health effects and impacts on fertility. Conversely, the ACLU contends that if enacted, this law would force trans youth currently receiving gender-affirming care to discontinue it within nine months of its effective date.<\/p>\n<p>The Supreme Court is being asked whether Tennessee&#8217;s Senate Bill 1 violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment by blocking medical treatments intended for minors experiencing gender dysphoria. The outcome will influence similar laws across 24 states that restrict hormone therapy access for minors.<\/p>\n<p>While some states have successfully defended these laws against lawsuits initiated by groups like the ACLU, others have seen similar bans overturned by federal judges. In July of last year, a federal appeals court supported Tennessee&#8217;s restrictions on transgender treatments for minors; however, following intervention from the Department of Justice (DOJ), there is now an appeal before the Supreme Court regarding their constitutionality.<\/p>\n<p>The case primarily focuses on hormone therapies rather than surgical interventions but does include prohibitions against surgeries related to gender transition. Plaintiffs include families advocating for treatment options based on evidence suggesting improved mental health outcomes associated with puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones among teens with gender dysphoria\u2014backed by major medical organizations like The Endocrine Society and American Academy of Pediatrics.<\/p>\n<p>However, international critiques exist regarding hormonal treatment efficacy in youth; notably highlighted by a comprehensive report from Britain&#8217;s National Health Service led by pediatrician Hilary Cass which questioned existing evidence supporting such therapies.<\/p>\n<p>In previous rulings like Bostock v. Clayton County (2020), where workplace discrimination protections were extended to LGBT individuals under federal law, advocates hope similar principles will apply here despite differing opinions among legal representatives about how relevant Bostock is concerning SB1\u2019s provisions.<\/p>\n<p>President Biden has condemned state-level bills targeting transgender healthcare as harmful while navigating complex discussions around age limits related to surgical interventions\u2014a topic further complicated after revelations about pressures exerted during guideline revisions within health organizations under his administration\u2019s influence.<\/p>\n<p>As this case unfolds amid an election year\u2014with potential shifts depending upon presidential outcomes\u2014the implications remain significant not only legally but also socially across various states grappling with these issues surrounding youth healthcare rights<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2998,"featured_media":2344381,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AP24091757049145.jpg.optimal.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[13546,7497,32275,41434,32076],"class_list":["post-2344380","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-red-state","tag-minors","tag-supreme-court","tag-transgender-procedures","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AP24091757049145.jpg.optimal.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2344380","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2998"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2344380"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2344380\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2344381"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2344380"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2344380"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2344380"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}