WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the United States Supreme Court, by a vote of 6-3 along party lines, upheld a ban on “gender-affirming care” on kids, such as hormone treatments – and the outrage on the left was voluminous.
The court threw out arguments that the ban violated the Constitution. This affirms laws in over half the United States that enacted similar bans.
In Iowa, the reaction from a trans-friendly action group was swift.
“This decision will have devastating implications for the 24 states that have banned medical care for transgender youth with gender dysphoria,” One Iowa Action said in a statement. “These bans disregard the opposition of leading medical experts and organizations, including the American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, that understand that gender affirming care is medically necessary for transgender youth.”
One Iowa Executive Director, Max Mowitz, condemned this ruling in a statement:
“Today is a dark day for our country as our Supreme Court has ruled against the right of families of Transgender youth to access essential medical care. One Iowa stands in solidarity with Trans and Nonbinary youth everywhere who will be harmed because of this ruling. Our community deserves better. In our work, we know that medical care for minors is vital to transgender youths’ health and well-being. This ruling sends the message that the needs of transgender youth are irrelevant to the whims and unfounded opinions of lawmakers, not doctors, medical experts, or parents. This medical care saves lives. To transgender youth and their families, please remember that while rulings like this are horrifying and disheartening, you are an important and vital part of our community. Regardless of the opinions of the court, you are seen, heard, and valued, and we will never stop fighting for you.”
One Iowa Action is a 501(c)(4) organization working to preserve and advance the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) Iowans through grassroots efforts, voter education and advocacy, they claim.
Supporters of the bans say this is to protect kids from from “suffering from irreversible consequences, things that cannot be undone.”
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird was giddy at the news, proclaiming, “A victory for common sense and protecting children! Thrilled to see the Supreme Court uphold Tennessee’s ban on sex changes, puberty blockers and hormones for kids in United States v Skrmetti.”