The state of Arkansas can soon enforce a ban on gender affirming care for transgender minors. The first-in-the-nation law passed in 2021 and was blocked before going into effect. As Little rock Public Radio reports, in an 8-2 ruling Tuesday the Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals overturned the decision, ruling that the law does not violate the U.S. Constitution and the state can enforce House Bill 1570 / Act 626 of 2021, better known to many as the Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act.
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin agreed, saying the state did not overstep its authority in passing the law. “We routinely provide guidance to medical providers on how to handle certain issues, and this is no different. And Arkansas has a compelling interest in protecting the physical and psychological health of minors.”
Arkansas’ law bans gender-affirming medical treatments including puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors seeking to transition. The case now heads back to a lower court for review, in light of a U.S. Supreme Court Decision upholding a similar law in Tennessee.
In a statement from ACLU of Arkansas Executive Director Holly Dickson, she said, “This is a tragically unjust result for transgender Arkansans, their doctors, and their families.” Dickson added, “The state had every opportunity and failed at every turn to prove that this law helps children; in fact, this is a dangerous law that harms children.”
