Justice Department sues Tenn. over law banning healthcare for transgender youth
The Justice Department on Wednesday filed a complaint challenging Tennessee’s Senate Bill 1, a recently enacted law that denies necessary medical care to youth based solely on who they are.
The complaint alleges that SB 1’s ban on providing certain medically necessary care to transgender minors violates the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.
The department is also asking the court to issue an immediate order to prevent the law from going into effect on July 1. SB 1 makes it unlawful to provide or offer to provide certain types of medical care for transgender minors with diagnosed gender dysphoria.
SB 1’s blanket ban prohibits potential treatment options that have been recommended by major medical associations for consideration in limited circumstances in accordance with established and comprehensive guidelines and standards of care.
