News & Opinion
Tomorrow, on December 4, 2024, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth under the age of 18 years old. US vs. Skrmetti will be the first ever case that addresses the constitutionality of bans that surround gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
26 other states have already enacted bans surrounding the healthcare of transgender youth with the state of Tennessee on track to tip the scale past the even mark further.
After the election of Donald Trump to become the next President of the United States of America, Trump promised to rescind several protections that extend to the care of transgender youth.
In the case of US vs. Skrmetti, several families of trans youth will appeal to the Supreme Court to petition the ban in question. The root of trying to get the ban repealed is that it fundamentally violates the constitutional rights of vulnerable Americans on the basis of sex discrimination.
Chase Strangio, one of the lawyers representing the families of the trans youth in US vs. Skrmetti, will make history as the first openly transgender individual to argue before the Supreme Court.
Ahead of the proceedings, Strangio had the following to say: “The stakes are high, of course, for transgender adolescents, but also for the parents who are watching their children suffer, who are just trying to do right by their kids.”
In a report conducted by the Williams Institute of the UCLA School of Law, some 300,000 high school students between the ages of 13 and 17 identify as transgender. This ban, with almost half of those students already living in one of the 26 states that currently restrict access to gender-affirming care, will continue to affect the wellbeing of trans youth disproportionately.
Not only does hormonal treatments as well as other gender-affirming care have the ability to increase the quality of life for trans youth, but it has also been shown to reduce the risk of suicidality amongst teens.
The outcome of US vs. Skrmetti will set a significant precedent for the future of transgender rights in America. As the Supreme Court deliberates on this landmark case, the nation watches closely, recognizing the profound impact this decision will have on the lives of transgender youth and their families.
If the Supreme Court strikes down Tennessee's ban then similar state laws would be effectively invalidated, and trans youth would gain greater protections in accessing gender-affirming care, legal experts say.
The stakes are undeniably high, not only for the individuals directly affected but also for the broader fight against sex discrimination and the protection of constitutional rights. The voices of those advocating for the repeal of these bans echo a fundamental truth: every individual deserves the right to access necessary medical care and live authentically. The decision will either affirm or challenge the nation's commitment to equality and justice for all its citizens, especially minorities such as the queer community.