The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld Tennessee’s law banning transgender medical treatments for minors in a 6–3 ruling, marking a significant victory for conservative lawmakers and parent groups.
In United States v. Skrmetti, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the law does not violate the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. “No minor may be administered puberty blockers or hormones to treat gender dysphoria,” Roberts noted, adding the law applies equally to both sexes.
Concurring opinions from Justices Thomas, Alito, and Barrett emphasized the lack of medical consensus on such treatments. Justice Sotomayor, joined by Justices Kagan and Jackson, dissented, warning the ban could endanger trans youth.
The Tennessee law, passed in 2023, prohibits puberty blockers, hormones, and surgeries for gender transition in minors. Doctors face fines and license suspension, while patients may sue for harm.
The decision could influence similar laws in over 20 Republican-led states.
