Ensuring minors can access procedures like puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones is a “crucial component” in the fight against firearm violence, gun control groups told the Supreme Court Tuesday.
In an amicus brief filed in United States v. Skrmetti, organizations including Giffords, the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Team Enough and March For Our Lives Action urged the Supreme Court to strike down a Tennessee law banning sex change procedures for minors, claiming such laws contribute to a “climate of hostility that puts transgender individuals directly at risk.” The groups also argued that youth who identify as transgender are at a higher risk of committing suicide using a firearm when they cannot access “gender-affirming care,” a euphemism for life-altering medical interventions.
“In the face of the ongoing gun violence crisis gripping our nation, ensuring access to gender affirming care for transgender youth is not merely a matter of medical necessity—it is a crucial component in our fight against the epidemic of gun violence that disproportionately threatens this vulnerable population,” the groups argued.
The correlation between a “surge in violence” and “discriminatory legislation” cannot be ignored, the groups argued.
“By denying access to gender-affirming medical care, SB1 not only inhibits the ability of transgender youth to present as their authentic selves safely in society, but it also perpetuates the dangerous and baseless perception that transgender individuals who seek medical transition pose a threat to society,” the groups argued. “This dual effect—increasing transgender individuals’ visibility as potential targets while also stoking societal fears— creates a perfect storm of increased violence against an already vulnerable population.”
Yvin Shin, Judicial Associate at March For Our Lives, said in a statement that the organization “won’t stop fighting until trans youth, like all people, can live safe, healthy, and authentic lives in a world free from gun violence.”
A four-year systemic view of transgender medical studies conducted in England by Dr. Hilary Cass found “weak evidence” for offering puberty blockers to children. Additionally, the April report found there was “no clear evidence” that social transitions have any impact on mental health outcomes among children.
The report also found there was “major methodological problems” with most studies suggesting “gender-affirming” treatments reduced suicide risk. It did find that the widespread claim may pressure families to seek out those treatments.
“In summary, the evidence does not adequately support the claim that gender affirming treatment reduces suicide risk,” the report found.
Audrey Hale, the shooter who murdered six during a March 2023 attack on a private Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee, identified as transgender. Hale’s diary, which was released fully on Tuesday, reflected struggles with the belief that she was born in the wrong body.
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