WASHINGTON – As the Supreme Court heard arguments on Wednesday regarding a Tennessee law banning gender-affirming care for minors, hundreds gathered outside of the court to protest both for and against the potential outcome of the case.
The dueling rallies come as President-elect Trump made opposition to transgender rights a key aspect of his campaign, vowing to ban gender-affirming care for minors. Trump also tapped Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who repeatedly suggested that chemicals in drinking water are turning children transgender, for Health and Human Services Secretary.
Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., joined activists and celebrities at a rally against the Tennessee ban organized by the American Civil Liberties Union and a coalition of LGBTQ+ advocacy groups. He criticized Tennessee Republicans for focusing on banning gender-affirming care rather than prioritizing other issues like affordable housing, education and employment.
Merkley called on Congress to pass the Equality Act that he helped author and emphasized the harm that a ban on gender-affirming care could have for transgender youth.
“Americans should have the freedom to make medical decisions in the privacy of their doctor’s office without politicians trying to dictate to them,” Merkley said.
The rally also featured actors Elliot Page, Annette Bening and Ilana Glazer.
Hundreds rally as Supreme Court hears case on gender-affirming care for transgender youth (Emma Richman/MNS)
A separate group supporting the Tennessee ban also gathered in front of the court. Sound spilled over from the dueling rallies and some attendees clashed in the close quarters.
Do No Harm, an organization of physicians, nurses and policymakers against gender-affirming care for minors, led the rally for the Justices to uphold the Tennessee ban. Speakers included anti-transgender activists and politicians who argued that medical treatments like puberty blockers and hormone therapy are damaging to children.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., spoke at the rally. She called gender-affirming surgeries “child abuse” and suggested that performing these procedures should warrant a felony charge.
“I really hope that the Supreme Court does the right thing and upholds Tennessee’s law,” Greene said. She added that she hopes the court “protects children all over this country from the evil ideology that is twisting the truth and brainwashing children to an absolute horrifically evil lie.”
Glenna Goldis, a protester from Brooklyn, N.Y., called for the justices to strike down the challenge, and advocated for more scientific research into transgender health care.
“I came here today to show the world that I exist as a lesbian who does not support the so-called LGBTQ agenda,” Goldis said. “I think that gender medicine for kids is really dangerous. It’s harming their bodies, and it’s not helping any of them.”
Others attended the rally in support of access to gender-affirming care and less government involvement in the medical decisions of individuals.
Zoe Iacomini, a University of Maryland student, attended in support of her transgender friends.
“I believe that gender-affirming care saves lives and that the decision to undergo gender-affirming care should be kept between the children, their families and their medical providers,” Iacomini said.
Iacomini added that she was not optimistic about the results of the case given the Supreme Court’s conservative majority.
Jaimie Krass, who traveled from New York City for the protest, said she agreed that decisions regarding gender-affirming care should be left to individuals and their health care providers. She said her main message, though, was to uplift transgender minors.
“Trans youth unfortunately need these daily reminders that their lives matter, and that their rights matter and that they deserve protection,” Krass said.
