On June 18, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6–3 ruling, affirmed United States v. Skrmetti, upholding Tennessee’s law that bans gender‑transition surgeries and puberty‑blocking drugs for children—marking a decisive conservative victory. This decision not only defends Tennessee’s legislation but also sets a legal precedent, empowering other states to enact and justify similar protections.
The case was brought by pro‑transgender advocates seeking to invalidate Tennessee’s law and others in more than 20 states. Yet, the Court rejected their appeal, signaling approval for broader legal authority to restrict gender‑affirming care to minors. Liberal justices Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson dissented strongly, but Chief Justice Roberts and five other conservatives concluded that the law meets the rational‑basis standard and does not warrant heightened scrutiny.
Some liberals had been hopeful of bringing Justice Amy Coney Barrett to their side, after she ruled against Trump a couple of times. But her concurring opinion in Skrmetti last week was a complete rejection of the notion that there is any constitutional right that protects being transgender or transitioning to the opposite sex.
Adding to the legal wave, Mahmoud v. Taylor, another transgender‑related case, received a 6-3 decision by the Supreme Court on behalf of parents trying to opt their children out of radical trans-ideology teaching in Maryland schools. As conservative jurisprudence strengthens, additional challenges involving gender identity, parental rights, and taxpayer coverage are building in state and federal courts.
These legal victories reflect a broader cultural shift on big issues like immigration and transgender ideology. Conservative victories across the Supreme Court, as well as lower courts, are reaffirming the right of legislatures in the states to make these decisions on behalf of the people. The last election truly resolved the transgender and immigration issues. Trump campaigned heavily on them at every rally won big in the popular vote. No one should be genuinely surprised that the majority on the Supreme Court is rejecting the Democrats position now.
This post originally appeared at https://phyllisschlafly.com/constitution/trans-agenda-dealt-supreme-blow/