Chase Strangio, an ACLU lawyer, will become the first openly transgender attorney to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court in December. He will be opposing Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors. Strangio, who is recognized as a leading legal expert on transgender rights, will represent a group of transgender individuals challenging this measure that prohibits treatments like hormones and surgeries for minors with gender dysphoria.
The Supreme Court will hear arguments on December 4 in an appeal by the Biden administration of a lower court’s decision upholding Tennessee’s ban. The ACLU has been actively involved in legal challenges against state laws targeting transgender individuals, with Strangio leading the organization’s efforts.
The case in Tennessee involves several plaintiffs, including transgender minors and their parents, who have argued that gender-affirming care has improved their happiness and well-being. The Justice Department also intervened in the lawsuit to challenge the law, citing violations of the U.S. Constitution’s promise of equal protection for these adolescents based on sex and transgender status.
Supporters of the ban have argued that gender-affirming treatments are experimental and potentially harmful, while medical associations have highlighted the life-saving effects of such care. Tennessee Attorney General defended the law as a way to protect minors from risky interventions.
The Supreme Court’s decision on this case will have significant implications for transgender rights and the ability of states to regulate medical interventions for adolescents with gender dysphoria. This case adds to a series of LGBTQ-related cases that the Court has faced in the past decade, including landmark decisions on same-sex marriage and workplace discrimination.
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