A North Dakota judge has ruled to keep the state’s controversial ban on gender-affirming care for minors, marking a major setback for transgender youth and their families.
District Judge Jackson Lofgren upheld the law on Wednesday, stating that it discriminates by age and medical purpose, not by sex. “The evidence establishes there is an ongoing international debate regarding the safety and effectiveness of the medical procedures prohibited by the Health Care Law,” Lofgren wrote. “Where there is uncertainty, deference is given to the Legislature.”
The law, which took effect in April 2023, makes it a misdemeanor for healthcare providers to prescribe hormone therapy or puberty blockers to transgender minors and a felony to perform gender-affirming surgery.
“This ruling is devastating for transgender youth and their families,” said Jess Braverman, legal director for Gender Justice. “This law inflicts real harm, strips families of their rights, and denies young people the care they need to thrive.”
Republican lawmaker Bill Tveit, who sponsored the bill, praised the decision, saying, “We need to protect our youth, and that’s what the whole goal of this thing was.”
Families affected by the ban have been forced to travel to neighboring states like Minnesota for treatment, often missing work and school in the process.
