Federal Court Rules Against Texas Doctors' Lawsuit

A federal appeals court ruled that two Texas doctors lacked standing to sue the Biden administration regarding its transgender discrimination policies, which interpret the Affordable Care Act to include protections for transgender individuals. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals found that the doctors did not violate the policy nor faced enforcement threats, overturning a previous ruling in their favor. The Biden administration's policy, reinstated in 2021, aims to prevent discrimination in healthcare based on gender identity, a move criticized by the doctors who argued it could compel them to perform treatments contrary to their beliefs. Concurrently, the Supreme Court is considering a significant case related to state bans on transgender surgeries for minors, with indications that justices may defer to state legislatures on such matters. Critics of gender-affirming care, like Dr. Miriam Grossman, argue that these policies harm minors, a perspective echoed by laws like Tennessee's SB1, which bans certain medical interventions for minors. The outcomes of these legal battles could shape the future of transgender rights and healthcare in the U.S.