EQCA - Equality California

12/04/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/04/2024 14:06

Statement on Oral Arguments in Supreme Court Case Involving Access to Gender-Affirming Care

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 4, 2024

CONTACT: Jorge Reyes Salinas, Equality California
PHONE: (213) 355-3057/MOBILE: (213) 355-3057/EMAIL: press@eqca.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Equality California released a statement from Executive Director Tony Hoang following oral arguments at the Supreme Court in the case of U.S. vs. Skrmetti, which concerns the constitutionality of a Tennessee state law banning access to essential medical care for transgender minors:

"Transgender youth have been under attack in this country for the past several years, with anti-LGBTQ+ extremists attempting to regulate every area of their lives from which restroom they use to whether or not they can play sports. Most consequential for these already vulnerable youth is the ability for them and their families to access medical care - an issue that now sits before the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court must uphold that families and doctors be the ones making decisions about the medical care of a child, not politicians.

Let us be clear: medical care for transgender youth has been endorsed by every major legitimate medical association in the country, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, and there is a robust body of evidence regarding its necessity.

In California, the legislature has ensured that transgender youth and their families have unfettered access to such care. California also has shield laws that protect transgender youth and their families fleeing other states with bans or restrictions in place and offering them support, care, and resources.

These attacks on healthcare and medical providers by far-right extremists are not only an assault on bodily autonomy and the right of families to make such personal decisions but on the medical profession itself. Practitioners are being threatened with fines, jail time, and revocation of their licenses simply for doing their job.

Notably, this case issue was argued on behalf of the plaintiff in part by Chase Strangio - Deputy Director for Transgender Justice at the ACLU, and the first out transgender person to argue at the Supreme Court.

The healthcare care ban before the Justices, originating in Tennessee and affecting similar other prohibitions in more than 20 states, was previously struck down by a trial court for being purely discriminatory. The fact of the matter is this - families have a right to consult with their doctors and other providers to make the best decisions for them. We urge the Justices to rule on the side of fairness and ensure this fundamental freedom."

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Equality California is the nation's largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization. We bring the voices of LGBTQ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ people. We advance civil rights and social justice by inspiring, advocating and mobilizing through an inclusive movement that works tirelessly on behalf of those we serve. www.eqca.org