The U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) has agreed to hear an appeal from the Biden administration in the case of L.W. v. Skrmetti — which challenges the Tennessee state law banning “gender reassignment” procedures for minors.
Proponents argue pediatric “gender reassignment surgery” is necessary for the mental well-being of children who identify as transgender. The plaintiff L.W. — a 15-year-old transgender minor — stated of the procedures, “I don’t even want to think about having to go back to the dark place I was in before I was able to come out and access the care that my doctors have prescribed for me.”
L.W.’s mother, Samantha Williams, claims the procedures are life-saving healthcare, stating, “It was incredibly painful watching my child struggle before we were able to get her the life-saving healthcare she needed. We have a confident, happy daughter now, who is free to be herself and she is thriving.”
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti responded to SCOTUS granting the appeal petition, stating on X:
TN Attorney General Skrmetti issues a statement on SCOTUS granting cert in U.S. v. Skrmetti: “We fought hard to defend Tennessee’s law protecting kids from irreversible gender treatments and secured a thoughtful and well-reasoned opinion from the Sixth Circuit. I look forward to finishing the fight in the United States Supreme Court. This case will bring much-needed clarity to whether the Constitution contains special protections for gender identity.”
Opponents have said the medical and surgical procedures are “chemical castration” and “genital mutilation,” with America First Legal stating in a press release:
Last night, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit overturned a district-court preliminary injunction in the case of L.W. v. Skrmetti. As a result, the laws of Tennessee and Kentucky that protect children from irreversible chemical castration and genital mutilation will remain in effect….
AFL is proud that the court considered its arguments and upheld the will of the Tennessee and Kentucky legislatures. AFL will continue to fight to protect children from the social contagion known as “gender-affirming care.”