The Texas Supreme Court has ruled to keep the state’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors in place, allowing the law to remain effective while a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality continues. This decision is a significant blow to the transgender community and their supporters, who argue that the law unjustly targets vulnerable youth.
The court’s majority opinion, authored by Justice Rebeca Aizpuru Huddle, stated that the Texas Legislature had the authority to regulate medical practices, including those related to gender dysphoria. The ruling emphasized that the law does not infringe on parental rights or the rights of healthcare providers, nor does it violate equality under the law.
However, in a strong dissent, Justice Debra Lehrmann criticized the decision, arguing that it denies essential medical care to transgender minors. She compared the ban to prohibiting tattoos for minors, underscoring that gender-affirming treatments are medically necessary and life-saving for many transgender youth.
The law, signed by Governor Greg Abbott in June 2023, bans surgeries, hormone treatments, and puberty blockers for gender transition purposes for individuals under 18. Exceptions are made for treatments of other medical conditions. The ban has faced significant opposition from families, medical professionals, and advocacy groups, who argue that it disregards the medical consensus and endangers the health and lives of transgender youth.
Karen Loewy of Lambda Legal, representing the plaintiffs, highlighted the devastating impact of the ruling, stating that it undermines parental authority and the well-being of transgender youth. Advocacy groups like the ACLU of Texas and PFLAG National have vowed to continue fighting against such discriminatory measures, emphasizing the need for trans youth to access necessary healthcare without political interference.