Supreme Court ruling on transgender care for minors endorses ‘popular hostility,' undermines parental rights, advocates say
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'We are as determined as ever to fight for the dignity and equality of every transgender person and we will continue to do so with defiant strength, a restless resolve, and a lasting commitment to our families, our communities, and the freedom we all deserve,' Strangio said.
Separately, two legal advocates for transgender rights said the majority decision intruded on parental rights and bowed to 'popular hostility' toward transgender people.
In a statement, Jennifer Levi, senior director of transgender and queer rights for GLAD Law, and Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, said the high court's 6-3 ruling will harm youth and the families who support them.
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The Court today failed to do its job,' Levi said. 'When the political system breaks down and legislatures bow to popular hostility, the judiciary must be the Constitution's backbone.'
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Levi added that the majority of justices 'chose to look away, abandoning both vulnerable children and the parents who love them. No parent should be forced to watch their child suffer while proven medical care sits beyond their reach because of politics.'
Minter said that the decision ran contrary to the court's own precedent and will cause teens and their families 'real harm' in the near future.
'The Court's ruling abandons transgender youth and their families to political attacks,' Minter said. 'It ignored clear discrimination and disregarded its own legal precedent by letting lawmakers target young people for being transgender. Healthcare decisions belong with families, not politicians.'
The legal specialists said that the
They
In a statement, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell said the majority on the court had wrongly blocked appropriate medical care being provided to youth with gender dysphoria.
'This ruling denies trans youth access to medically necessary treatment and ignores overwhelming evidence of its life-saving benefits, as well as the medical judgment of doctors and parents,' Campbell said. 'In the face of this cruel setback, I stand with trans youth and their families and remain committed to defending their rights and well-being in Massachusetts and across the country.'
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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John R. Ellement can be reached at
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