In a momentous decision on Thursday, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals firmly backed the bans imposed by Tennessee and Kentucky on gender-related medical interventions for children, including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries.
The court’s 2-1 decision successfully refuted the challenge presented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and some families with trans-identifying children.
Chief Judge Jeffrey Sutton provided a measured observation on the matter, stating, “This is a relatively new diagnosis with ever-shifting approaches to care over the last decade or two. Under these circumstances, it is difficult for anyone to be sure about predicting the long-term consequences of abandoning age limits of any sort for these treatments.”
In contrast, the ACLU expressed its dissatisfaction, lamenting the court’s decision as a “devastating result.”
They said in a statement on Thursday, “The disastrous impact of Tennessee’s law and all others like it has already been felt in thousands of homes and communities. Denying transgender youth equality before the law and needlessly withholding the necessary medical care their families and their doctors know is right for them has caused and will continue to cause serious harm.”
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti issued a statement on ‘X’ saying “This evening, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the district court’s preliminary injunction in L.W. v. Skrmetti. As a result, Tennessee’s law that protects children from irreversible gender-related medical interventions remains in effect.”
Likewise, Tennessee Representative Jason Zachary (R) hailed the decision as a “big win,” reinforcing the state’s commitment to “protecting children.”
Representative William Lamberth (R) voiced similar thoughts, highlighting Tennessee’s proactive role in “protecting our children,” and called it a substantial triumph against “a dangerous and extreme ideology.”
While Tennessee and Kentucky have had their common-sense measures upheld, bans in states like Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Montana, and Indiana faced judicial rejection.
Many are increasingly concerned about the irreversible consequences of gender hormone treatments and surgeries on young individuals.
Both puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones have been linked to grave health issues.
For instance, puberty blockers can lead to hindered bone growth and development and potential sexual dysfunction, among other ailments.
Cross-sex hormones pose threats of infertility, heart complications, and increased susceptibility to specific cancers, to name a few.
A recently published analysis in JAMA Network Open disclosed a concerning rise in the number of gender surgeries in the U.S., witnessing a near tripling from 4,550 procedures in 2016 to about 13,000 in 2019.
Furthermore, an alarming number of girls, some as young as 12, have opted for elective, gender-related double mastectomies in recent years.
However, it’s undeniable that the trend of embracing new gender identities among the youth is on the rise.
Data suggests that nearly 300,000 minors aged between 13 to 17 identified as transgender last year.
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