Ohio Supreme Court to Review Gender-Affirming Care Ban for Minors
As Ohio’s highest court takes up a pivotal case, the state’s sweeping restrictions on transgender youth care face their biggest legal challenge yet.
COLUMBUS — The Ohio Supreme Court will review a lawsuit challenging the state’s ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, the court announced Monday.
The case centers on Senate Bill 104, which prohibits doctors from providing hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and gender transition surgeries to patients under 18. The legislation, signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine in January 2024, also restricts transgender students from using bathrooms and participating in sports that align with their gender identity.
A coalition of families with transgender children, along with medical professionals and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, filed the lawsuit in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court. They argue the law violates the Ohio Constitution and interferes with parental rights and medical decision-making.
Legal Challenge Moves Forward
The plaintiffs contend that SB 104 discriminates against transgender youth and denies them access to medically necessary care. According to court documents, the lawsuit claims the ban violates equal protection provisions and infringes on fundamental rights.
“This law puts politics between doctors, parents, and their children,” said one attorney representing the families, according to court filings. The legal challenge seeks to block enforcement of the medical care restrictions.
State officials defend the legislation as protecting minors from irreversible medical procedures. The Ohio Attorney General’s office has argued that the state has authority to regulate medical practices involving children.
Statewide Impact
The Supreme Court’s decision will affect transgender youth across Ohio and could influence similar legislation in other states. More than 20 states have enacted laws restricting gender-affirming care for minors in recent years.
Medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association, have opposed such bans. These groups maintain that gender-affirming care, when appropriate, can be medically necessary for transgender adolescents.
The Ohio law includes exceptions for patients who were already receiving treatment before the ban took effect. However, it prohibits new patients from accessing hormone therapy or puberty blockers.
Timeline and Next Steps
The Supreme Court has not announced when it will hear oral arguments or issue a ruling. Lower courts have issued conflicting decisions on similar laws in other states, with some blocking enforcement while others have allowed the restrictions to proceed.
The case represents one of several legal challenges to transgender-related legislation in Ohio. The state legislature passed additional measures in 2024 addressing transgender issues in schools and athletics.
Civil rights organizations continue to monitor the legal proceedings closely. The outcome could set a precedent for how Ohio courts interpret constitutional protections for transgender individuals and families.
