Federal Judge Blocks Trans Care Ban in Idaho

(TotalConservative.com) – A federal judge issued a preliminary ruling to block legislation in Idaho banning so-called “gender-affirming care” for minors that was supposed to take effect on the first day of the new year.

The Idaho law, which would’ve been enforceable starting Jan. 1, 2024, made it a felony to administer gender-affirming treatments and procedures on anyone under the age of 18. In a ruling on Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023, District Court Judge Lynn Winmill ruled that the restrictions imposed by the law are in violation of the Equal Protection Clause and Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution.

In his decision, Winmill stated that children who are “transgender” should be treated equally under the law and that “the most fundamental decisions” regarding childcare should be the right of the parents. He said that such cases show that the “primary role” of the Fourteenth Amendment is protecting “disfavored minorities” as well as preserving “fundamental rights from legislative overreach.” Winmill concluded that this “is no less true for transgender children” and for the parents of those children.

Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed House Bill 71 into law in April. The legislation prohibits administering puberty blockers, hormone therapies, and surgeries to minors questioning their gender, with special exceptions for developmental genetic disorders that are “medically verifiable.” Medical professionals caught administering such treatments to minors could face a felony conviction and up to a decade in prison.

Similar restrictions have been implemented in at least 20 states already, many of which are being challenged in court. The first state to pass such laws was Arkansas in April 2021, until a federal judge blocked the legislation in June 2023, ruling it unconstitutional.

Those who support the restrictions believe the proposed treatments aren’t medically necessary and are harmful to children, causing irreparable damage and various health problems. Despite the approval of the nation’s largest medical associations, Americans across the country are pushing back against “gender ideology” and the medical practices that go along with it.