Republican-led states are rallying behind Idaho’s bid to enforce its ban on transgender medical treatments for children, presenting a robust argument to the Supreme Court against the growing transgender medical industry. In a 36-page amicus brief led by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, 19 Republican attorneys general emphasized the potential harm of so-called “gender-affirming care” for children, describing it as dangerous, irreversible, and driven by ideological and financial motives. The brief cited reporting from The Daily Wire, including insights from host Matt Walsh, exposing the financial motivations behind transgender surgeries, particularly highlighted by Vanderbilt University Hospital officials.
Idaho’s law, designed to prevent life-altering puberty blockers and transgender surgeries for children, faced a setback in December when a federal judge ruled it violated the 14th Amendment. The judge argued that the banned medical treatments were “safe, effective, and medically necessary for some adolescents.” In response, Idaho filed an emergency motion to the Supreme Court, challenging the lower court’s decision and seeking broad enforcement of its ban. The attorneys general, in their amicus brief, contended that the lower court’s ruling jeopardizes children’s health and safety.
While the Supreme Court has yet to rule on bans related to transgender medical treatments for children, several federal appeals courts have upheld laws similar to Idaho’s. Leftist groups like the ACLU have urged the Supreme Court to strike down such laws after facing defeats in appeals courts. The amicus brief from the Republican attorneys general expressed concern over a potential “devastating medical scandal” and highlighted the fast-tracking of vulnerable youth for hormonal and surgical sex-modification procedures, often leaving them sterilized and permanently harmed.
States supporting Idaho’s appeal include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. The brief criticized the district court for relying on “activist-drafted” guidelines and underscored the health risks associated with cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers, including damage to bone development, cognitive function, and future fertility. The Republican officials challenged the court’s reliance on guidelines from interest groups financially dependent on providing the contested procedures, arguing that the Constitution places states, not medical societies, in charge of regulation. Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s petition, filed with support from the Alliance Defending Freedom, awaits consideration by the full Supreme Court.
