In ‘landmark ruling,’ Supreme Court upholds Tennessee law banning gender transition treatment for minors

 By Timothy Cockes - Posted at Baptist Press:

Published June 18, 2025

WASHINGTON (BP) – In a historic decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday (June 18) that a Tennessee law banning gender transition medical treatments for minors is constitutional.

The case, United States v. Skrmetti, involved a suit brought by three transgender teenagers and the Biden Administration against Tennessee officials seeking to bar the state from enforcing its ban on gender transition interventions or so-called “gender affirming care” for minors.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti was named the defendant in the case. Oral arguments, which hinted at today’s decision, were heard in December 2024.

The Supreme Court ruled that Tennessee’s law, known as Senate Bill 1 (S.B. 1), does not violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and is subject only to rational basis review, rather than heightened or strict scrutiny review.

The 6-3 decision, presented by Chief Justice John Roberts, argues that S.B.1 incorporates two classifications, age and medical use.

The law does not completely ban these treatments or procedures for other uses in children besides gender transitions, and does not prevent consenting adults in the state from undergoing these procedures for gender transition purposes.

Therefore, the challengers’ “sex discrimination” argument does not hold. Justices Sotomayor, Jackson and Kagan dissented from the majority.

The High Court’s ruling provides necessary clarity for legal challenges to similar laws in 26 other states.

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