Indiana GOP Lands Major Victory Over ‘Gender-Affirming Care’ for Kids, ACLU Reacts Strongly

Indiana Republicans won a major victory on Tuesday, after the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled its ban on gender-affirming services for minors can go into immediate effect. The ACLU of Indiana challenged the law, which was passed in 2023. A lower court issued an injunction to stop the law’s enforcement.

This ban was lifted nine months later. It now prohibits gender-transition surgery, hormone treatments, and puberty-blocking agents, which all can cause permanent harm to a child’s body.

A court ruled on Tuesday that an Indiana law passed in 2023 banning gender-affirming care for minors can now be implemented immediately.

The US Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals lifted an injunction issued by a lower court on Tuesday. The injunction was granted in 2023 and blocked a bill passed that prohibited gender-affirming health care for Hoosiers younger than 18.

ACLU pledged to continue their legal fight against the law.

Many people believe that the battle between transgender ideology, and children, has become a major political issue. They argue that altering children’s bodies instead of using non-invasive therapies like therapy causes more harm than good. The medical establishment is largely behind “affirmation” and only allows “care” which conforms to this ideology. This has led to tensions between parents and one of America’s once most trusted institutions.

Republicans at the state level have taken up this cause to give parents a voice. Indiana, along with Florida and Texas (Ohio did not), is among the states that have banned “gender-affirming care” for children despite widespread outrage by the Democratic Party. There is a stark contrast between the effectiveness of the GOP at the federal and state levels. This leaves national Republicans scrambling to achieve victories that are not being delivered.

One of these cases will likely end up before the Supreme Court. This would not be an hospitable atmosphere for the ACLU, or any other group that decides to pursue the issue.