A US federal appeals court on Wednesday ruled to uphold an Indiana law prohibiting the use of puberty blockers and hormones for transgender youth under 18. The decision from the 7th US circuit court of appeals allows the controversial law to remain in effect.
The ruling comes as the US supreme court prepares to hear a challenge to a similar law in Tennessee, potentially impacting similar laws across the nation.
The Indiana law, passed by a Republican-controlled legislature, has been fiercely challenged by families of transgender children and healthcare providers. They argue that it discriminates based on sex and interferes with parents’ rights to make medical decisions for their children.
Circuit judge Michael Brennan, writing for the majority, said the law “bars gender transition procedures regardless of whether the patient is a boy or a girl” and rejected the discrimination claim. He further argued that parents do not have an unfettered right to any medical treatment for their children.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), representing the plaintiffs, did not immediately comment on the decision. Indiana attorney general Todd Rokita celebrated the ruling on social media platform X, saying, “A huge win for Hoosiers and will help protect our most precious gift from God – our children.”
This case is one of many across the US grappling with the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender youth. Currently, 26 states have implemented bans or restrictions on these treatments.
Proponents of such laws cite the need to protect children from what they consider experimental treatments. Opponents, including major medical organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics, maintain that these treatments are crucial for improving mental health and reducing suicide risk among transgender youth.
