Supreme Court will decide if states can ban gender-affirming care for minors

• The Justice Department argues that the ban violates the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause.

Zoom out: 19 states have adopted similar bans. A ruling in Tennessee's favor from the conservative-leaning high court would open the door for more states to follow suit, with profound implications for trans youth.

• If the court strikes down Tennessee's law, on the other hand, states would no longer be able to ban gender-affirming care outright.
• The Justice Department argues in its briefs to the court that a ban should be held to a higher legal standard than, for example, state laws requiring informed consent.

What's next: The court will hear the case in its next term, which begins in October.

Go deeper: State health care plans can't exclude gender-affirming surgeries, court rules