Colorado AG: Supreme Court decision ‘does not change access’ to state’s gender-affirming care
DENVER, Colo. (KRDO) – Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser says a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Wednesday regarding gender-affirming care will not affect transgender minors' access to that care in Colorado.
On June 18, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 to uphold Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors. Tennessee is just one of 27 states that have passed bans or restrictions on gender-affirming health care for transgender children and teens, CNN reports.
Until this year, the federal government described gender-affirming care as "crucial to overall health and well-being" for transgender and nonbinary youth. This care can include puberty blockers, hormone therapy, gender-affirming surgery, and counseling.
But soon after President Donald Trump took office in January, he issued an executive order titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” which characterized gender-affirming care as “immoral, unjust, and disproven.”
Supporters of a ban on gender-affirming care argue that it protects children from making irreversible medical decisions at a young age. Opponents, however, argue that gender-affirming care can be lifesaving for transgender youth, and note that it is supported as clinically appropriate by numerous major medical organizations.
Earlier this year, lawmakers in Colorado passed legislation safeguarding access to gender-affirming care within the state. Following the Supreme Court's ruling, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser released a statement reaffirming that access remains protected in Colorado.
Read Weiser's full statement below:
“Here in Colorado, our legislature, through the democratic process, enacted a state law that made gender-affirming care legally protected health care. Today’s Supreme Court opinion in United States v. Skrmetti does not change access to gender-affirming care in our state. Parents, with trusted medical providers, know what is best for their child and should have the option to seek the care their child needs.
“Our state also has a law banning the harmful and discredited practice of conversion therapy. If the court is serious about leaving questions regarding health care to the people, their elected representatives, and the democratic process, it should likewise defer to state laws banning conversion therapy.
“I have met with parents, providers, and kids who live in fear because of how transgender people have been targeted by some to score political points. No one should live in fear because of who they are or who they love. We must commit to addressing these issues with empathy, grace, and understanding for the safety of all our communities.”
Colorado was part of a coalition of 20 states that filed a brief in support of equal access to care prior to the Supreme Court's decision.
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