The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee (ACLU-TN) condemned the passing of HB1/SB1 in the Tennessee General Assembly and promised legal action if the governor signed the legislation into law.

HB1/SB1, titled ‘The Protecting Children from Gender Mutilation Act,” bars healthcare providers from administering cross-sex treatments to minors, including surgeries, devices, and drugs such as puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.

The bill passed the Tennessee House of Representatives on Thursday by a 77-16 vote and now heads to Governor Bill Lee’s desk for signature.

Republicans in Tennessee vowed to introduce such legislation last year after it was revealed that Vanderbilt University Medical Center was performing transgender surgeries on minors. At the time, Lee supported the idea of banning such procedures.

The ACLU-TN deemed the legislation as “dangerous” to the transgender youth community and has called on Lee to veto the bill – threatening legal action.

“We are deeply disturbed that state politicians have voted to interfere with the ability of families to make decisions, in consultation with medical professionals, to provide critical care for young people who are transgender,” Lucas Cameron-Vaughn, ACLU-TN staff attorney said in a statement. “All Tennesseans should have access to the healthcare they need to survive and thrive. Gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth is safe, necessary, effective and often life-saving.”

“Legislators are risking trans young people’s health, wellbeing and safety with this dangerous legislation. We urge Governor Lee to veto this overreaching, discriminatory bill, or we will see him in court,” Cameron-Vaughn continued.

Chase Strangio, deputy director for Transgender Justice at the ACLU’s LGBTQ & HIV Project added, “Tennessee would be better served by listening to the experts – the youth who benefit from this care, the parents who love them, and the doctors who care for them. Should these bills be signed into law, we are prepared to defend the rights and dignity of transgender youth with every tool available.”

– – –

Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Doctor and Child” by Pavel Danilyuk.