On December 4, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case U.S. v. Skrmetti. Families, doctors, and the United States (under the Biden Administration) is asking the court to strike down Tennessee’s ban on hormone therapy for transgender youth.
There is a lot of false and politically charged language being used to describe transgender healthcare for young people, but let’s stick to the facts.
- Hormone therapy can include puberty blockers, estrogen, and testosterone. It does not include surgery.
- A strong and well-established body of evidence, developed over more than 40 years, demonstrates that individualized and age-appropriate care for transgender people improves mental health and overall well-being at all ages.
- Every major U.S. medical and mental health professional association supports access to this essential medical care to improve the health and well-being of transgender people. These expert associations represent millions of health professionals across the country in fields spanning psychiatry, adolescent medicine, psychology, endocrinology, pediatrics, and many others.
This case is about whether trans people are protected under the Constitution like everyone else. If the Supreme Court rules against transgender people and our families and doctors, it will mean that the government can target trans people and possibly others for discrimination – specifically sex discrimination in medical settings.
We all want what’s best for our children, and families with transgender youth are no different. No parent should be denied the freedom to help their transgender youth access the care that is right for them. Every state should be a safe place to raise every family.
We the people means all people. There is no ‘transgender’ exception to the U.S. Constitution. The Court must reject this effort to deny transgender people equal justice under the law.
Learn more about top takeaways from this case here.
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