Tennessee: Court of Appeals upholds ban on trans treatment for minors

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Tennessee's ban on gender reassignment treatment for minors. The decision temporarily reverses a lower federal court ruling that allows children to receive such treatments. A new appeal is pending.

The battle in court

State Governor Bill Lee signed a law in March that bans gender reassignment treatments for minors. These include surgeries, puberty blockers and hormone therapies. The rule should have come into effect on July 1.

Sb 1 Dkt 38-2 Complaint in ... by Verónica Silveri

After Lee's signature, parents of some trans children filed a lawsuit against the state to prevent the rule from being enforced. In response, a federal district court judge ruled that it was unconstitutional on the grounds that it was discriminatory on the basis of sex. As a result, the law never went into effect.

With the Sixth Circuit Court's new ruling, the law is enforced immediately. State Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti is now authorized to investigate and fine health care providers who violate the ban and perform gender reassignment treatments or procedures on minors up to $25,000.