Supreme Court Will Hear Case That Will Change Trans Rights Forever

The U.S. Supreme Court will take up U.S. v. Skrmetti (SKIR-MET-TI) on December 4, marking its first case on gender-affirming care for transgender minors. At the center of the case is Tennessee's Senate Bill 1. This bill was signed into law by Republican Governor Bill Lee in March 2023 and bans puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries for minors seeking gender transitions. Three families of transgender children and Dr. Susan Lacy of Memphis, represented by Lambda Legal, the ACLU, and other advocates, are challenging the law. They argue it violates equal protection and due process under the Constitution and the Affordable Care Act’s anti-discrimination provisions. Samantha Williams, one of the plaintiffs, described the law as devastating: “We don’t want to leave Tennessee, but this legislation would force us to either routinely leave our state to get our daughter the medical care she desperately needs or to uproot our entire lives and leave Tennessee altogether. No family should have to make this kind of choice.” The ACLU highlights the law’s double standard, permitting hormones for cisgender youth while denying them to transgender minors diagnosed with gender dysphoria. This case has far-reaching implications, with advocates warning it could pave the way for broader restrictions on healthcare access, including abortion and birth control. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, representing the Biden administration, stressed the urgent need for clarity, noting the profound uncertainty facing families due to lower court divisions. The Supreme Court’s decision could either bolster bans in other states or reaffirm the rights of transgender youth. With the court’s conservative shift since its 2020 pro-LGBTQ Bostock ruling, advocates on both sides await a potentially landmark decision affecting not just transgender care but broader healthcare rights.