Eagle Forum applauds the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in U.S. v Skrmetti that allows States to protect vulnerable children from genital mutilation.  The decision, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, affirms that such laws do not violate the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. The Court’s 6-3 majority makes clear that laws “prohibiting certain medical treatments for transgender minors are not subject to heightened scrutiny” and clarifies that “[q]uestions regarding the law’s policy are thus appropriately left to the people, their elected representatives, and the democratic process.”
 
“Eagle Forum members across the country have been working for years to protect children from life-altering gender-transition treatments at the State level, only to see their efforts attacked by radical ‘trans’ advocates,” said Eagle Forum President Kris Ullman. “Today’s decision by the Court upholds what we have long known — that States are acting rationally when they ban medical interventions that can lead to minors ‘becoming irreversibly sterile, having increased risk of disease and illness, or suffering from adverse and sometimes fatal psychological consequences.’”
 
“We are so glad that Tennessee led the way on this important issue and now some real changes can be made,” said Tennessee Eagle Forum President Bobbie Patray, who worked to pass SB1 in the state in 2023. “We are very proud of our Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and his staff for their incredible defense of the law and our children.  We are so glad this will open doors for other states to follow in our footsteps. It’s a huge win, and Tennessee Eagle Forum is pleased to have advocated on behalf of this important legislation.”
 
Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Clarence Thomas clarified in a concurring opinion that “transgender status” should not be considered a “suspect class,” requiring heightened scrutiny. The three dissenters — Justices Sonya Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson- argued unsuccessfully that the definition of sex to include gender identity should be broadened.
 
“The Supreme Court’s decision ultimately protects minors from an extreme agenda that mutilates children’s bodies while safeguarding the rights of states to make their own laws,” said Kris Ullman, President of Eagle Forum. “We applaud this landmark decision and the work of the other 20 states that have already protected minors from these barbaric procedures and encourage all states to follow suit.”