Supreme Court decision 'sanctions discrimination,' parent of trans teen says
Transgender youth, their parents and a doctor who provides transition care to adolescents say the Supreme Court's decision upholding Tennessee's ban on such care for minors could have devastating, widespread effects for trans Americans.
The court ruled 6-3 on Wednesday that Tennessee's prohibition on puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors does not discriminate based on sex, and, as a result, does not violate the Constitution's 14th Amendment.
It means that Tennessee's law will stand, and similar measures in 26 other states will also be more likely to survive legal challenges. Lawsuits have permanently blocked bans from taking effect in two states — Arkansas and Montana. Otherwise, restrictions have taken effect in all the remaining states except for West Virginia.
As a result, the court's decision could affect an estimated 112,400 trans youth who live in states that have laws banning access to transition-related care, according to the Williams Institute at UCLA's School of Law.
Trans young people like Violeta Acuna, 19, are afraid of the ruling's impact on trans youth and their mental health.
Acuna, who lives in Pomona, California, started hormone replacement therapy when she was 17 after experiencing anxiety and depression due to gender dysphoria, which is the distress caused by a misalignment between one's birth sex and gender identity. Within two months of starting the treatment, she said her mental health improved.
'If I had not had that opportunity, I probably wouldn't be here speaking,' Acuna said.
She said the Supreme Court's decision is dangerous for trans youth, even though proponents of restrictions on gender-affirming care often argue that it is 'mutilating' children.
That is 'completely false,' she said, adding, 'It only puts them more at risk of the dangers that come from it not being accessible.'
She added that the move could be harmful and have deadly mental health effects for trans minors who have already started receiving care and are abruptly forced to stop receiving it due to a state ban.
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said in a statement Wednesday that 'the common sense of Tennessee voters prevailed over judicial activism' in the Supreme Court win.
'A bipartisan supermajority of Tennessee's elected representatives carefully considered the evidence and voted to protect kids from irreversible decisions they cannot yet fully understand,' Skrmetti said in a statement. 'I commend the Tennessee legislature and Governor Lee for their courage in passing this legislation and supporting our litigation despite withering opposition from the Biden administration, LGBT special interest groups, social justice activists, the American Medical Association, the American Bar Association, and even Hollywood.'
As Skrmetti pointed out, restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors have faced widespread backlash from the medical, scientific and legal communities.
All major medical associations in the U.S., such as the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association, support access to transition-related care for minors and oppose restrictions on it.
Some European countries have restricted access to such care, but only one, the United Kingdom, has indefinitely banned new prescriptions of puberty blockers to treat minors for gender dysphoria.
Dr. Morissa Ladinsky, a clinical professor of pediatrics at Stanford University's medical school, said the Supreme Court's decision 'is not based in science and not based in evidence, but based in a political stance to harm kids.'
She pointed to Utah, which enacted a ban on transition care for minors in 2023 that required Utah's Department of Health and Human Services and other health experts in the state to conduct a review of all existing evidence on the safety of such care.
The reviewers concluded in a 1,000-page report published in May that policies to prevent access to gender-affirming hormone therapy for treatment of gender dysphoria in pediatric patients 'cannot be justified based on the quantity or quality of medical science findings or concerns about potential regret in the future, and that high-quality guidelines are available to guide qualified providers in treating pediatric patients who meet diagnostic criteria.'
Ladinsky said transition-related care, like all medical care, is evidence-based and guideline-driven, and is continually studied and improved.
'That's science, and that is how medical decision-making happens and should happen — by those who are trained to understand the science, not by those who are not,' she said.
Ladinsky previously practiced as a pediatrician in Birmingham, Alabama, for 10 years, where she treated hundreds of trans adolescents until the state passed a ban on transition care for minors that took effect in January 2024. She said she had a patient whose family pawned a valuable personal item to get the money to drive their son to a state where their son's care could be continued.
'The lengths that people are going through are unfathomable,' she said. 'Having been on those front lines now in Alabama, I will tell you that these laws, these bills, these executive orders have not made transgender young people no longer transgender.'
In his statement Wednesday, Skrmetti said the court's decision 'recognizes that the Constitution lets us fulfill society's highest calling — protecting our kids.'
However, many parents with trans kids feel that it does the opposite and robs them of that right. Keisha Bell, whose trans daughter just finished her second year of college, called the decision 'sanctioned discrimination.'
'No parent takes any of this discussion lightly,' Bell said, adding that parents 'understand the full ramifications of some side effects of medications if they decide to take that path, but they also understand the weight of the decision when children are not supported.'
Skylar Bret, the mom of a trans girl in Seattle, said during a news conference hosted by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wa., Wednesday, that her daughter has 'amazing doctors,' and 'it scares me that there might be people other than myself and her doctors making decisions about whether she's able to get the care that she needs.'
Acuna, the trans teen living in California who is also a drag artist and an organizer with Advocates for Youth, a sexual health nonprofit, said her message to trans young people is that things are 'going to get harder.'
'They won't stop,' Acuna said, 'But that doesn't mean that we have to allow ourselves to give in.'
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NBC News
6 hours ago
- NBC News
Supreme Court decision 'sanctions discrimination,' parent of trans teen says
Transgender youth, their parents and a doctor who provides transition care to adolescents say the Supreme Court's decision upholding Tennessee's ban on such care for minors could have devastating, widespread effects for trans Americans. The court ruled 6-3 on Wednesday that Tennessee's prohibition on puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors does not discriminate based on sex, and, as a result, does not violate the Constitution's 14th Amendment. It means that Tennessee's law will stand, and similar measures in 26 other states will also be more likely to survive legal challenges. Lawsuits have permanently blocked bans from taking effect in two states — Arkansas and Montana. Otherwise, restrictions have taken effect in all the remaining states except for West Virginia. As a result, the court's decision could affect an estimated 112,400 trans youth who live in states that have laws banning access to transition-related care, according to the Williams Institute at UCLA's School of Law. Trans young people like Violeta Acuna, 19, are afraid of the ruling's impact on trans youth and their mental health. Acuna, who lives in Pomona, California, started hormone replacement therapy when she was 17 after experiencing anxiety and depression due to gender dysphoria, which is the distress caused by a misalignment between one's birth sex and gender identity. Within two months of starting the treatment, she said her mental health improved. 'If I had not had that opportunity, I probably wouldn't be here speaking,' Acuna said. She said the Supreme Court's decision is dangerous for trans youth, even though proponents of restrictions on gender-affirming care often argue that it is 'mutilating' children. That is 'completely false,' she said, adding, 'It only puts them more at risk of the dangers that come from it not being accessible.' She added that the move could be harmful and have deadly mental health effects for trans minors who have already started receiving care and are abruptly forced to stop receiving it due to a state ban. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said in a statement Wednesday that 'the common sense of Tennessee voters prevailed over judicial activism' in the Supreme Court win. 'A bipartisan supermajority of Tennessee's elected representatives carefully considered the evidence and voted to protect kids from irreversible decisions they cannot yet fully understand,' Skrmetti said in a statement. 'I commend the Tennessee legislature and Governor Lee for their courage in passing this legislation and supporting our litigation despite withering opposition from the Biden administration, LGBT special interest groups, social justice activists, the American Medical Association, the American Bar Association, and even Hollywood.' As Skrmetti pointed out, restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors have faced widespread backlash from the medical, scientific and legal communities. All major medical associations in the U.S., such as the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association, support access to transition-related care for minors and oppose restrictions on it. Some European countries have restricted access to such care, but only one, the United Kingdom, has indefinitely banned new prescriptions of puberty blockers to treat minors for gender dysphoria. Dr. Morissa Ladinsky, a clinical professor of pediatrics at Stanford University's medical school, said the Supreme Court's decision 'is not based in science and not based in evidence, but based in a political stance to harm kids.' She pointed to Utah, which enacted a ban on transition care for minors in 2023 that required Utah's Department of Health and Human Services and other health experts in the state to conduct a review of all existing evidence on the safety of such care. The reviewers concluded in a 1,000-page report published in May that policies to prevent access to gender-affirming hormone therapy for treatment of gender dysphoria in pediatric patients 'cannot be justified based on the quantity or quality of medical science findings or concerns about potential regret in the future, and that high-quality guidelines are available to guide qualified providers in treating pediatric patients who meet diagnostic criteria.' Ladinsky said transition-related care, like all medical care, is evidence-based and guideline-driven, and is continually studied and improved. 'That's science, and that is how medical decision-making happens and should happen — by those who are trained to understand the science, not by those who are not,' she said. Ladinsky previously practiced as a pediatrician in Birmingham, Alabama, for 10 years, where she treated hundreds of trans adolescents until the state passed a ban on transition care for minors that took effect in January 2024. She said she had a patient whose family pawned a valuable personal item to get the money to drive their son to a state where their son's care could be continued. 'The lengths that people are going through are unfathomable,' she said. 'Having been on those front lines now in Alabama, I will tell you that these laws, these bills, these executive orders have not made transgender young people no longer transgender.' In his statement Wednesday, Skrmetti said the court's decision 'recognizes that the Constitution lets us fulfill society's highest calling — protecting our kids.' However, many parents with trans kids feel that it does the opposite and robs them of that right. Keisha Bell, whose trans daughter just finished her second year of college, called the decision 'sanctioned discrimination.' 'No parent takes any of this discussion lightly,' Bell said, adding that parents 'understand the full ramifications of some side effects of medications if they decide to take that path, but they also understand the weight of the decision when children are not supported.' Skylar Bret, the mom of a trans girl in Seattle, said during a news conference hosted by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wa., Wednesday, that her daughter has 'amazing doctors,' and 'it scares me that there might be people other than myself and her doctors making decisions about whether she's able to get the care that she needs.' Acuna, the trans teen living in California who is also a drag artist and an organizer with Advocates for Youth, a sexual health nonprofit, said her message to trans young people is that things are 'going to get harder.' 'They won't stop,' Acuna said, 'But that doesn't mean that we have to allow ourselves to give in.'
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Strange sign in earwax may predict if you'll get brain disorder that affects 10million
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In a TikTok video, he explains that as a cardiac surgeon, it is the one household staple that he 'absolutely avoids'. Like Dr Kahng he warns that the breath-freshening agent can kill healthy bacteria that helps control your blood pressure. He points out that this can then have a knock-on effect, as high blood pressure 'is a risk factor for both strokes and heart attacks.' Dentists are also telling people to watch out for - and avoid - washes that contain alcohol. Alcohol is a common ingredient in mouthwashes as it helps to dissolve active ingredients like essential oils for plaque and gingivitis efficacy. But California-based dentist Dr Joyce Kahng says that popular brands with alcohol in them 'disrupt the oral microbiome' - the diverse community of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, that live in the mouth and throat The alcohol content varies depending on the specific product, but it typically ranges from 14 percent to 27 percent by volume. Dr Kahng added in a TikTok that alcohol also dries out the mouth. When saliva production is reduced, it can cause discomfort, bad breath, and even contribute to other oral health issues. And for pregnant women, it's even more important to avoid alcohol-based mouthwashes as 'you are assumed to swallow around 15 percent of your oral hygiene products,' the dentist added. '[Some mouthwashes] have a higher alcohol content than wine,' she adds. Finally, Dr Kahng warns that many mouth washes are acidic, with pH levels ranging from three to six, which can be harmful to tooth enamel and gums, especially for those with receding gums or sensitivity. A pH below 5.5 is generally considered potentially erosive to teeth. To solve bad breath, Dr London suggests some alternatives to mouthwash, including flossing and tongue scraping. He tells viewers: 'Now look, using mouthwash is a personal choice. I did it for many years until I was educated. Your body, your choice. Inform yourself, understand the data and make good decisions.' Backing up Dr Kahng and Dr London's claims, in 2019 researchers at the University of Puerto Rico found that people who used mouthwash twice a day or more had a greater risk of having high blood pressure compared to less frequent users. And an earlier study, in 2017, by the same Puerto Rico-based research group found that overweight people using mouthwash at least twice daily had a 50 percent increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes over a three-year period compared to non-users. The researchers put this down to the fact that killing these key bacteria in the mouth reduces the body's ability to make nitric acid, a natural compound that plays a role in regulating insulin - the hormone that keeps blood sugar levels steady. Therefore, the destruction of this beneficial bacteria could lead to unstable blood sugar peaks and encourage the development of diabetes. And that's not the only potentially harmful side-effect of mouthwash. A 2020 study published in the Journal of Intensive Care Medicine found that antiseptic mouthwash used by patients who have been hospitalized may increase their risk of death from sepsis - this is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body's immune system overreacts to an infection, leading to organ failure which can be fatal. Scientists aren't entirely sure what is behind the increased risk but suggest that killing the oral bacteria responsible for nitric acid production stops the body being able to absorb enough of this compound, which plays a key role in healthy circulation - and we know that circulation is one of the body systems that shuts down in sepsis. Last year, Listerine users sued the mouthwash's manufacturer Johnson & Johnson over claims it put them at risk of cancer. A previous study found the company's Cool Mint flavor mouthwash increased levels of mouth bacteria linked to throat and colon cancer. The $5 mouthwash tells consumers to use it for 30 seconds twice a day to kill 99.9 percent of all the bacteria in their mouth. But research suggests daily uses causes levels of two species of bacterium — Fusobacterium nucleatum and Streptococcus anginosus — to rise. These have been linked to cancer in the esophagus — the tube that connects the throat and the stomach — and in the colon. Researchers from the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Belgium also saw a decrease in a group of bacteria called Actinobacteria, which may protect against cancer by helping to reduce inflammation. A spokeswoman for Kenvue, formerly part of Johnson and Johnson, said in response to the findings that were published last year: 'Studies on the impact of Listerine on oral health have been published in hundreds of peer-reviewed publications for more than a century, making it one of the most extensively tested mouthwash brands in the world. 'We continuously evaluate the latest science and monitor safety signals to evaluate the benefit risk profile of our products.'
