US Supreme Court Upholds Tennessee Ban on Minors' Gender-Affirming Care

Recent legal battles across the United States and beyond highlight ongoing controversies over transgender rights and gender-affirming care. A federal appeals court in Oregon ruled against the state's policy requiring adoptive parents to affirm their child's gender identity, citing religious freedom concerns, while a Supreme Court case involving Tennessee's ban on puberty blockers and hormones for minors underscores the debate over state intervention versus parental and minor rights. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, amid a surge in anti-LGBTQ legislation nationwide, with 27 states restricting access and nearly 600 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in 2023 alone. Meanwhile, a federal judge in Rhode Island blocked Trump administration restrictions on grants to organizations serving LGBTQ+ youth and other vulnerable populations, deeming the conditions imposed as overreach and violating due process. Internationally, a transgender prisoner in South Africa is fighting for access to hormone replacement therapy, highlighting the global nature of disputes over gender-affirming healthcare rights. These cases collectively illustrate the polarized and evolving landscape of transgender rights, balancing medical necessity, religious beliefs, legal protections, and governmental authority.