The Biden administration has filed a federal lawsuit challenging Tennessee’s ban on life-saving care for transgender youth. The Department of Justice is challenging the constitutionality of Tennessee’s S.B. 1 that was signed into law by Governor Bill Lee last month banning of age-appropriate, medically necessary gender-affirming care for transgender youth. Kelley Robinson, HRC President stated, “Today, the Department of Justice announced decisive action, recognizing what is at stake for transgender people’s lives in Tennessee & across the country. Rather than tackle any real issue at stake for Tennesseans, the legislature & Governor Lee decided to attack vulnerable youth who are at the mercy of politicians who think they know better than families, doctors & the greater medical community. Gender affirming care is life-saving care. Period. We appreciate that the Biden Administration is saying ‘enough is enough’ when it comes to attempts by Governor Lee & other Tennessee lawmakers to legislate transgender children out of existence. We applaud the DOJ’s announcement & will continue to work with President Biden and the rest of his administration to send a clear message that our community is not going anywhere.” The Department of Justice previously intervened in litigation challenging Alabama’s ban on gender affirming care for youth. A recent study from the Trevor Project shows that transgender youth with access to gender-affirming hormone therapy have lower rates of depression & are at a lower risk for suicide. Last month I talked to Emma Chinn, Special Projects Coordinator at Campaign for Southern Equality & a proud LGBTQ Tennessean about Tennessee’s aggressive attack on our transgender community & her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
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