Supreme Court to confront dispute over gender-affirming care for transgender minors

Washington — The Supreme Court is set to convene Wednesday to hear arguments in a landmark case involving access to gender-affirming care like puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors experiencing gender dysphoria.

The case concerns the constitutionality of a Tennessee law that bans this medical care for transgender adolescents. Half the states have measures on the books that are similar to Tennessee's, and advocates for transgender rights are warning that if the Supreme Court upholds the ban, it would open the door to state lawmakers outlawing gender-affirming care for adults.

The dispute is the first in which the justices will consider the constitutionality of state efforts to regulate medical interventions for transgender youth, but it comes as Republican-led states have enacted a slew of restrictions targeting transgender individuals, including policies on sports teams and restroom access.