Legal/Policy Updates
Biden Administration – The administration continued to support "gender-affirming care" (short of surgery), even though FDA officials acknowledged that an earlier step in this medical pathway, puberty blockers, increased the risk of depression and suicidality. As a result of ongoing judicial proceedings, an internal FDA email became public in which an official recommended puberty blockers for this purpose in spite of the elevated risk.
Courts – The Good: A federal court temporarily blocked part of the Biden Administration's attempt to enforce a distorted version of Title IX that would have forced insurers and medical professionals to provide "gender-affirming care". The Supreme Court allowed that and other ongoing lawsuits to block the harmful provision in 26 states, but the provision went into effect in the remaining 24 states.
Catholic counselors filed a federal lawsuit against the state of Michigan, alleging that its overly broad ban on conversion therapy violates their freedom of speech and prevents them from counseling patients experiencing gender discordance.
|