The Mississippi-based American Family Association (AFA) filed an amicus brief in the case with legislators from every state that has passed laws similar to Senate Bill 1.
"If the Supreme Court were to rule that the state of Tennessee could not protect its minors from gender mutilation surgeries and transgender chemical castrations, then it would follow no state would be able to do so," AFA General Counsel Abraham Hamilton III explains.
The Biden Justice Department argues this law is a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, but Hamilton and other critics disagree. They often point out that states restrict people 17 and younger from other activities, such as smoking or getting a tattoo.
"When you weigh in the fact that there are all sorts of things that we don't allow minors to do in our country, you would think it should also include not allowing minors to permanently mutilate their bodies and eliminate their reproductive capacities going forward," Hamilton reasons.
Meanwhile, there is "a score of … detransitioners" who have undergone some of those permanent procedures and are now ringing the alarm bells saying, "Don't allow children to do this!"
Arguments in the case, United States v. Skrmetti – Skrmetti being Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti – took place in December. As of late November, 84 amicus briefs had been filed in the case – 32 in support of the petitioners, 51 in support of the respondents, and one in support of neither party.
A decision is expected in June, near the end of the Supreme Court's term.
Editor's Note: The American Family Association is the parent organization of the American Family News Network, which operates AFN.net.
