The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday upheld Tennessee and Kentucky laws banning trans medical treatments for minors, such as puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones, in response to a complaint filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, who defended the laws before the court, celebrated the ruling, calling it "a big win for democracy." He also said he was proud of his team, "who stood strong against the overwhelming resources arrayed against Tennessee in this case."
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. pic.twitter.com/oWT69dwE6p
— TN Attorney General (@AGTennessee) September 29, 2023
The ACLU stated that "this fight is far from over":
BREAKING: The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected our request to block Tennessee's ban on gender affirming care for transgender youth.
This fight is far from over. We'll never stop fighting for trans youth and their families to get the medical care they need.
— ACLU (@ACLU) September 29, 2023
The Tennessee chapter of the ACLU said in a statement that it was "assessing our next steps" and promised to "take further action in defense of our clients." It also recalled lawsuits against these types of regulations in other states. Some resulted in laws being blocked, such as in Arkansas and Florida, while others were upheld, such as in an appeals court in Alabama.
The judge's ruling
LW v. Jonathan Skrmetti by Santiago Adolfo Ospital on Scribd
