Judge blocks most of Indiana’s restrictions on gender-transition medicine for minors
Asher Notheis
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A federal judge in Indiana has temporarily halted most of the state’s restrictions on gender-transition medicine for children.
The ruling by Judge James Patrick Hanlon blocks the part of the law, which would have gone into effect on July 1, which would prohibit puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender children. Additionally, Hanlon has blocked part of the law that would not allow doctors from communicating with physicians in other states about gender-affirming care for child patients.
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However, Hanlon opted to allow a portion of the law that bans gender-transition surgeries for minors, which will still go into effect on July 1.
“Plaintiffs lack standing to challenge that ban because gender reassignment surgeries are not provided to minors in Indiana,” Hanlon wrote.
Hanlon’s decision was praised by the American Civil Liberties Union, which, along with the ACLU of Indiana, had filed a lawsuit over the Indiana law in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.
“Today’s victory is a testament to the trans youth of Indiana, their families, and their allies, who never gave up the fight to protect access to gender-affirming care and who will continue to defend the right of all trans people to be their authentic selves, free from discrimination,” said Ken Falk, ACLU of Indiana’s legal director. “We won’t rest until this unconstitutional law is struck down for good.”
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Indiana is one of several states that have run into legal trouble in attempting to issue statewide transgender surgery bans. Earlier this month, a federal district court in Florida issued a preliminary injunction against a law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) that bans gender-transitioning medicine for minors.
The law, which was signed by DeSantis last month, stipulates that physicians are not allowed to prescribe puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones to minors. It also prevents invasive, irreversible procedures such as double mastectomy, phalloplasty, or vaginoplasty.