Puberty, Privacy, and Policy
The High-Stakes Battle Over Transgender Healthcare
On December 11, the Montana Supreme Court temporarily blocked SB99, a law that sought to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth, citing state constitutional privacy protections. At the same time, the United Kingdom announced it was indefinitely extending a ban on new prescriptions of puberty blockers—except in clinical trials—due to insufficient safety data, aligning with broader European policy shifts toward more restrictive approaches for minors with gender dysphoria. These divergent decisions underscore the complex global landscape of transgender healthcare as the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to rule on U.S. v. Skrmetti, a lawsuit challenging Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender children.
Tennessee’s SB1 bans puberty blockers, hormone therapies, and surgeries for transgender minors, while permitting the same treatments for children who identify with their assigned sex at birth. The Supreme Court is set to determine whether SB1 violates the Equal Protection Clause by treating individuals differently based on sex, and whether the state has a compelling interest in regulating these treatments due to safety concerns. The Court’s ruling could profoundly impact transgender healthcare policies nationwide. A decision upholding Tennessee’s law could embolden other conservative states to impose similar bans, creating a fragmented healthcare landscape across the country. Conversely, striking down the law could set a landmark legal precedent safeguarding transgender minors’ medical autonomy.
The stakes are high for the approximately 300,000 transgender youth aged 13–17 in the United States, where 24 states have already banned all gender-affirming treatments, and 2 states have prohibited surgeries. These adolescents face considerable challenges: nearly 50% report depression, and over 40% have seriously considered suicide.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association continue to advocate for individualized, medical gender-affirming treatment, emphasizing its role in reducing mental health risks. They also urge states to refrain from interfering in private medical decisions. However, other countries including Sweden, France, Norway, and the Netherlands, where puberty blocking treatment was first innovated, have recently adopted a more cautious stance, advocating psychological support for gender dysphoria while awaiting further research on the long-term safety and efficacy of puberty blockers and hormones.
What do you think? Should the state play a role in the medical decisions of transgender children and their parents?
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Just like with all healthcare, there should be a baseline of equality for all Americans. Why should citizens of some states have fewer rights and more restrictions than those in other states?
Whether you agree with trans healthcare or not, can't we all agree that parents and doctors should get to make the best choices for the health and safety of their children?
Republican party, If you lower your standards, we can meet them!
Causes asked, "Should the state play a role in the medical decisions of transgender children and their parents?"
No.
Politicizing health issues is always a bad idea.
However, it is not a simple matter when imbeciles are involved eg.
Recall the COVID-19 fights with vaccinations, mask wearing, limiting in person contacts, etc.
The there was sitting under bright lights and drinking detergent.
My least favorite was pretending COVID-19 was not a real health concern.
Healthcare decisions should be between patients and healthcare providers.
There are already sufficient regulation of these decisions.
1) if the patient is a minor or has finished capacity then a parent or guardian needs to decide
2) healthcare providers are limited to FDA approved drugs and treatment procedures and need to follow clinical practice guidelines that their professional associations agree too
3) errors and bad decisions can be reviewed by state medical boards, or in civil and criminal courts.
In addition the trans population in the U.S. is less than 1% of the population (0.6%).
Why is so much campaign, legislative, political time spent on so few individuals which doesn't affect anyone else when the majority of the population is concerned about prices at the grocery store which nothing is being done about, and a major change in drug pricing for pbm's was removed from the CR by Musk, RamaSwampy (Ramaswamy) and Trump?
https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2024/12/19/as-trump-tanks-spending-deal-pharmacists-bemoan-possible-loss-of-middleman-reforms/
https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/trans-adults-united-states/
Snow ball in hell as hell freeze over!
It is not up to citizens to "agree" or "disagree" about trans healthcare, or any OTHER healthcare. Healthcare should be between medical professionals and their patients. Everyone else, including ALL politicians at ALL levels should butt out!
Rights of all people, races and the LGBTQIA community need to be protected
Republicans are scrambling to hide Trump involvement! It's revenge!
Authoritarian billionaire dictator in position to do damage!
They do not have the votes! Can’t question or have Elon or anyone before Congress not in charge . Keep voting republican and you won't be even able to carry a gun!
The Supreme Court made Trump above the law, need to thank the Supreme Court for the chaos! The Supreme Court has put the country and the world in danger!
Ian Miles Cheong Created the manipulated the fake video, most likely at Elon Musk request or not, Just good buddies?
The church of noe Nazi
Can't get real video so Elon uses fake generated videos and propaganda by right wing Ian Miles Cheong.
Omar can use real video of Elon Musk and his treasonous moron minions.
We got 4 years of ruining one of America's best days!
A doctor can bury their mistakes!
The MAGA new world order! Freedom of speech, religion and guns all gone! I have a person say over their dead body on taking guns away they will do that and they don't care even if they need to do an air strike!
You access to the top secret information and your personal information is now available to a treasonous 25 years older. Your information be spread around the world, has the ability to alter your status or delete it altogether!
They are not off whites !!!!
Welcome to the inequality of trumps world!
Just when it gets bad, it's getting worst for mainly red state and farmers!
Public safety will stop!
You are not god of anyone's body to say if a person can have anything medical or other wise done to, for, at, in or on any persons body that is a person right along with their doctors. when do lawmakers have a medical license to make those type of decisions for others human beings? These Lawmakers should never make medical decisions for babies, children, or adult adults about one's body or one psychology, restart, allowing law makers to make decisions about anyone's body or mind. They need to have a doctorate in psychology, a medical license to practice before they start making those types of decisions for others in this world. This is the decision of a doctor and the individual that's choosing to have procedures with the OK from that person their parents have under 18 if not, it's their right to do as they choose. It is not the right of any law maker. I don't care who they are. doctor and myself whether it is children, parents adoptive parents. It is their right to choose leave peoples bodies alone they have the right to do as they see fit. Lawmakers are not Drs. To many young people think of suicide as a way out. No law should ever be made about a person body. Thats why we have Doctors that go to Medical school for years to make decisions with their patients. This Country is a free Country with millions of people everyday who make their on decisions on what to eat, drink, or what to wear women have the right to have children or not THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES ARE GETTING SICK OF OLD PEOPLE THAT SIT IN CHAIR IN DC MAKING DECISIONS ON THEIR PRIVATE LIVES OF THEIR FAMILIES That's why doctors go to school stay out of peoples medical history in their lives to make decisions for themselves for their families for their children. They don't make these decisions for their children in a willy-nilly way they seek help in medical professionals to help them if they see their child struggling For identity or do you not feel good about themselves their children and them and their doctor will make that decision, not a huffy old man sitting in a robe somewhere and yes, there are women too leave laws out of medical decisions for women and children and men
Gender care is between the child - their family and their doctor. NOBODY ELSES BUSINESS
I am extremely concerned about the firings at the FBI, assistant directors are the ones with the expertise that do the job protecting Americans from criminals, terrorists, and security dangers!
I want to know when is congress going to step up and take back their constitutional responsibilities?