Texas Supreme Court Upholds Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender Youths

The Texas Supreme Court has upheld a state ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youths, rejecting arguments that it violates parental rights to seek medical care for their children. The 8-1 ruling maintains a law effective since September 2023, impacting transgender minors seeking hormone therapies, puberty blockers, and surgeries.

The Texas Supreme Court has delivered a significant ruling by upholding the state's ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youths. In an 8-1 decision, the all-Republican court dismissed pleas from parents arguing that the law infringes on their rights to access necessary medical treatments for their children.

This decision leaves intact a controversial law effective since September 1, 2023, positioning Texas as the largest of at least 25 states to implement such restrictive measures. The law prohibits transgender minors from receiving hormone therapies, puberty blockers, and transition surgeries, although the latter are rarely performed on children.

Critics argue that the law has devastating consequences for transgender teens needing critical medical care, while advocates of the law maintain it is necessary to protect children. As more states move to enforce similar restrictions, families may be forced to seek medical care out of state.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)