DOJ Files Lawsuit Against Tennessee for Banning Gender-Affirming Care for Minors

The US Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the state of Tennessee on Wednesday, challenging a recently passed law that bans gender-affirming care for minors. The law, signed by Republican Governor Bill Lee last month, prevents minors from taking puberty blockers or receiving hormone therapies and from having surgeries that enable them to identify with a gender inconsistent with their sex.

The Department of Justice argues that the law, known as SB 1, violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause, discriminating against individuals on the basis of sex and transgender status. The DOJ emphasizes that the law “denies necessary medical care to youth based solely on who they are.”

The lawsuit comes after the passage of the bill, which was met with strong opposition from LGBTQ+ advocates and medical professionals. The bill was criticized for denying only transgender youth access to medically necessary care while allowing non-transgender minors access to the same care.

The Department of Justice’s lawsuit seeks to block the law from taking effect and to ensure that transgender youth in Tennessee have access to the same medical care as non-transgender minors. The lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal challenges to similar laws in other states, including Arkansas and Alabama.

The Department of Justice’s lawsuit is a strong statement in support of transgender rights and access to medical care. It is a reminder that transgender youth should have the same access to medically necessary care as any other minor.