In December, Chase Strangio of the ACLU will become the first openly transgender attorney to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court. Strangio is challenging Tennessee’s law banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors. The case is one of the Supreme Court’s most consequential of the term, with arguments set for December 4. Strangio, a leading legal expert on transgender rights, will argue for the plaintiffs in the case.
Tennessee is one of 22 states that have passed laws targeting medical interventions for adolescents with gender dysphoria. Supporters of the restrictions claim the treatments are experimental and harmful, while medical associations argue they are life-saving and effective. The Justice Department, along with plaintiffs such as transgender youth and their parents, argue that the ban on care for transgender youth violates the 14th Amendment’s promise of equal protection by discriminating based on sex and transgender status.
The Supreme Court has previously ruled on LGBTQ rights cases, including legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide in 2015 and protecting gay and transgender employees from workplace discrimination in 2020. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for transgender rights and access to gender-affirming care for minors.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com