Federal Appeals Court Temporarily Allows Tennessee's Ban on Transgender Care for Minors to Take Effect

An appeals court has granted an emergency appeal allowing Tennessee's prohibition of hormone therapy, puberty blockers and gender-affirming surgery for transgender minors to be enforced.
The appeals court ruled that legislatures, not judges, should determine policies on transgender care, overturning a lower court's order blocking the law.
The ruling is preliminary and the court will conduct a full review of the appeal, aiming to resolve the case by September 30.
Advocates for gender-affirming care expressed disappointment in the ruling and vowed to continue fighting the law which they argue is discriminatory and unconstitutional.
The decision makes Tennessee the first state where a federal appeals court has allowed a ban on care for transgender youth to take effect, though about 20 states have passed similar laws.