Louisiana Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Unconstitutional Transgender Care Ban

The prohibition on healthcare for kids under the age of 18 in Louisiana is being challenged by LGBTQ+ activists in a lawsuit they filed.

Lambda Legal, along with other groups, disclosed the lawsuit filed on behalf of five unnamed Louisiana minors and their parents, criticizing the prohibition on crucial healthcare procedures for transgender youth.

The legal action, unveiled in a news release by Lambda Legal, is set to be presented in a Louisiana district court in New Orleans. This lawsuit comes in response to the law enacted last year, which officially came into effect on January 1, rendering Louisiana one of 22 states imposing restrictions or outright bans on transgender medical care for minors. 

The legislation prohibits individuals under the age of 18 from accessing hormone treatments, undergoing gender-affirming surgeries, and using medications that block puberty.

Louisiana’s legal battle is just one among various state and federal court challenges confronting similar laws across the country. 

Louisiana’s Struggle Amid National Legal Challenges

While a federal judge invalidated Arkansas’ ban in June, other states have faced mixed results, with some rulings permitting enforcement. Notably, the ACLU has brought challenges against bans in Kentucky and Tennessee before the Supreme Court.

The lawsuit contends that the ban infringes upon the state constitution’s privacy rights, impeding the decision-making authority of parents and individuals in matters of personal medical care. 

Seeking a judicial ruling declaring the law unconstitutional, the legal challenge also requests a court order to halt its implementation.

According to the lawsuit, the prohibition directly conflicts with the medical needs of transgender adolescents suffering from gender dysphoria, preventing them from accessing essential, evidence-based treatments recommended by medical professionals and supported by their parents.

Former Governor John Bel Edwards, whose veto was overridden by lawmakers, departed office as the ban took effect. 

The stance of newly inaugurated Republican Governor Jeff Landry, a proponent of the ban, remains unclarified as his office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.