The Texas Supreme Court has ruled to allow the state’s ban on nearly all gender-affirming care for minors to continue.
In an 8-1 decision, the all-Republican court overturned a lower court’s order that blocked the implementation of Senate Bill 14, which prohibits Texas health care providers from offering gender transition surgeries, puberty-blocking medication, or hormone therapies to those under 18.
The law was passed by the state’s Republican-controlled legislature in May 2023 and was signed last June. It allows exceptions for intersex patients and includes provisions for those already undergoing treatment to “wean off.”
The ban on gender-affirming care for minors in Texas is part of a larger trend in GOP-led states, with more than 20 states enacting similar restrictions. LGBTQ advocacy groups have criticized the ruling, with Lambda Legal vowing to continue fighting against such measures.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s office applauded the decision, stating that the ban protects children from making life-altering decisions before they are mentally capable. The Biden administration has challenged similar bans in other states, with the US Supreme Court set to hear an appeal on the matter.
