Supreme Court to weigh transgender care limits

What happened

The Supreme Court said Monday it would hear arguments in a case backed by the Biden administration that challenges a Tennessee law restricting puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender minors, even with parental permission.

Who said what

South Carolina recently became "the 25th state to adopt a law restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors , even though such treatments have been available in the United States for more than a decade and are endorsed by major medical associations," The Associated Press said. But the Tennessee case "will be the first time the high court weighs in directly" on the constitutionality of such laws, The Wall Street Journal said. Its decision "could be a landmark precedent on the scope of the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause, which guarantees people equal treatment under the law."

What next?

The Supreme Court will likely hear arguments in the fall and hand down its decision next summer. If the court rules for Tennessee, it would likely allow similar laws in other states to take effect.