US Supreme Court upholds ban on gender-affirming care for minors

WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a state law banning gender-affirming medical treatments for transgender minors -- an issue at the heart of the American culture wars.

The court voted 6-3 to uphold a Tennessee law barring hormone therapy, puberty blockers and gender transition surgery for those under the age of 18.

The six conservative justices on the top court rejected a challenge to the law while the three liberals dissented.

Two dozen Republican-led states have enacted laws restricting medical care for transgender youth, and the case will have repercussions for the prohibitions across the country.

“This case carries with it the weight of fierce scientific and policy debates about the safety, efficacy, and propriety of medical treatments in an evolving field,” wrote Chief Justice John Roberts, author of the majority opinion.

“The Court´s role is not ´to judge the wisdom, fairness, or logic´ (of the law) but only to ensure that the law does not violate equal protection guarantees,” Roberts said.

“It does not. Questions regarding the law´s policy are thus appropriately left to the people, their elected representatives, and the democratic process.”

The Supreme Court heard the case in December and the Justice Department of then-president Joe Biden joined opponents of the law, arguing that it violated the Constitution´s Equal Protection Clause since it denies transgender minors access to medical treatments permitted to others.

Republican President Donald Trump has since taken office and he signed an executive order in January restricting gender transition procedures for people under the age of 19.

While there is no US-wide law against gender-affirming medical treatments for transgender youth, the Trump order ended any federal backing for such procedures.

Reacting to the ruling, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said it “sets a dangerous precedent for legislative interference in the practice of medicine.”

“Gender-affirming care is medically necessary for treating gender dysphoria and is backed by decades of peer-reviewed research, clinical experience, and scientific consensus,” the AAP said.

“Denying patients access to this care not only undermines their health and safety, it robs them of basic human dignity.”