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Silver State Equality released a statement from State Director André C. Wade following oral arguments at the Supreme Court in the case of U.S. vs. Skrmetti, which concerns the constitutionality of a Tennessee state law banning access to essential medical care for transgender minors:
“Transgender youth have been under attack in this country for the past several years, with anti-LGBTQ+ extremists attempting to regulate every area of their lives from which restroom they use to whether or not they can play sports. Most consequential for these already vulnerable youth is the ability for them and their families to access medical care — an issue that now sits before the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court must uphold that families and doctors make decisions about the medical care of a child, not politicians.
Let us be clear: medical care for transgender youth has been endorsed by every major legitimate medical association in the country, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, and there is a robust body of evidence regarding its necessity. And in Nevada, as a result of Senate Bill 163 that passed in 2023, insurance companies are prohibited from discriminating against transgender youth based on their gender identity.
These attacks on healthcare and medical providers by far-right extremists are not only an assault on bodily autonomy and the right of families to make such personal decisions but on the medical profession itself. Practitioners are being threatened with fines, jail time, and revocation of their licenses simply for doing their job.
Notably, this case issue was argued on behalf of the plaintiff in part by Chase Strangio — Deputy Director for Transgender Justice at the ACLU, and the first out transgender person to argue at the Supreme Court.
The healthcare care ban before the Justices, originating in Tennessee and affecting similar other prohibitions in more than 20 states, was previously struck down by a trial court for being purely discriminatory. The fact of the matter is this — families have a right to consult with their doctors and other providers to make the best decisions for them. We urge the Justices to rule on the side of fairness and ensure this fundamental freedom.”
As Nevada’s statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization, Silver State Equality brings the voices of LGBTQ people and allies to institutions of power in Nevada and throughout the U.S. Silver State Equality strives to create a world that is healthy, just and fully equal for all LGBTQ people. Silver State Equality is a Nevada-based program affiliated with and supported by Equality California and Equality California Institute, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization. More information at SilverStateEquality.org.
