MADISON, WI — The Transgender Parent & Nonbinary Advocacy Caucus (TPANAC) issued a forceful statement today condemning the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
This ruling is a cruel and calculated assault on transgender youth, their families, and the providers who support them. It legitimizes discrimination under the guise of protection, while silencing the lived realities of the very young people it claims to help.
The Tennessee law bans physicians from providing puberty blockers, hormone therapy, or related gender-affirming treatments to individuals under 18. The Supreme Court’s 6–3 decision affirms the state’s authority to enforce the law, despite broad opposition from medical and human rights communities.
This isn’t about protecting children. It’s about stripping parents of their rights, undermining doctors, and targeting a vulnerable population for political gain. The nation’s leading medical organizations — from the American Academy of Pediatrics to the American Medical Association — have made it clear that gender-affirming care is often life-saving, evidence-based, and essential.
In Wisconsin, we must continue to push back against this dangerous trend of government overreach into deeply personal health decisions. The ruling will have real-life consequences on youth mental health, family autonomy, and health care access across the country. Also, the ruling sends a chilling message that political ideology can override medical science and personal freedom.
TPANAC encourages community members to support LGBTQ+ youth by engaging with local advocacy organizations, speaking out against discriminatory policies, and supporting legislators who defend equality and evidence-based health care.
