The Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday on a case involving a Tennessee law that denies gender-affirming medical care to transgender youth and children under 18 who may be transitioning.
The high court has a conservative majority of six to three, and some justices seem likely to uphold the Tennessee law. People on both sides say it could be life-changing for transgender people in the United States.
Chase Strangio was the first openly transgender attorney to argue in front of the Supreme Court, representing Tennessee families opposed to the law. Strangio said the law discriminates against individuals based on their sex.
“This is a law that bans medical treatment only when it is prescribed inconsistent with an individual’s sex,” Strangio said. “Our argument is that that treats people differently because of their sex.”
The state of Tennessee argues that this law is not discriminatory towards the transgender community based on sex, because it applies to both boys and girls.
USC senior Au Chung with the LGBTQ+ Student Center’s Transform program, which provides resources and workshops for trans youth, including changing gender markers on IDs, is worried about the Supreme Court case. Chung noted that more than two dozen states have already restricted gender-affirming care for youths.
“It’s really concerning right now to see these things happening in real time,” Chung said. “Especially for trans people, the younger that you are able to get life-saving care, the more effective a lot of these procedures are.”
Chung highlighted the critical need for such care, noting the high suicide rates among trans youth. They emphasized the importance of education and community support, urging students to engage with resources at the LGBTQ+ Center and beyond.
“What Tennessee is trying to do is something that 24 other states have done, and it’s really disappointing to see,” Chung said.
The high court’s decision is expected by June 2025.