Media frames Supreme Court ruling on minors as ‘setback’ to transgender rights

The legacy media was united in its disapproval of the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling upholding Tennessee’s ban on transgender medical treatment for minors. 

In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court struck down a challenge to a Tennessee law restricting access to puberty blockers and hormone treatment to children who identify as the opposite sex.

Several news organizations framed the ruling negatively and implied it was a “setback for transgender rights” for all ages, despite the decision affecting only minors. The result was also described as a “major blow,” a “devastating loss,” and a “stunning setback.”

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“BREAKING: The Supreme Court upholds a Tennessee ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors in a huge setback for transgender rights,” the Associated Press reported on X Wednesday.

“BREAKING: Supreme Court upholds a Tennessee law restricting gender transition care for minors, delivering a major blow to transgender rights,” NBC News similarly posted. 

“The US Supreme Court backed a Republican-backed ban in Tennessee on gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, in a setback for transgender rights that could bolster efforts by states to defend other measures targeting transgender people,” Reuters wrote.

“The Supreme Court upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors, a stunning setback to transgender rights,” The Boston Globe also posted.

While the Tennessee law was passed in 2023 and Supreme Court oral arguments were heard in December, some news outlets tied the ruling negatively to President Donald Trump’s policies.

Newsweek warned in its headline that the ruling was a “major setback for transgender rights,” telling readers the decision “effectively protects from legal challenges many efforts by President Donald Trump’s Republican administration and state governments to roll back protections for transgender people.”

The Washington Post described the 6-3 ruling as a “divided Supreme Court” and called the broader trans debate “a polarizing national issue the Trump administration has seized on in initiatives targeting transgender rights.” NPR said the decision “plunged the Supreme Court into yet another culture war feud.”

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The New York Times attempted to equate the ruling on trans-identifying minors to the Supreme Court’s 2020 decision giving gay and transgender adults civil rights protections from employers under Title VII. 

“The decision, which came amid the Trump administration’s fierce assaults on transgender rights, was a bitter setback for their proponents, who only five years ago celebrated a decision by the court to protect transgender people from workplace discrimination,” the Times wrote. 

CNN went even further, decrying the ruling coming at a “critical time” for the transgender community.

“The 6-3 decision by a conservative majority is a major blow to the transgender community and its advocates at a critical time,” CNN wrote. “Since 2020, Republican-led states around the country have passed a wave of laws regulating the lives of trans Americans, with a particular focus on minors.” 

“And President Donald Trump, who ran for reelection in part on ending the ‘transgender lunacy,’ has taken several steps intended to roll back gains made by that community,” CNN continued. 

The Guardian called the ruling “a devastating loss for trans rights supporters in a case that could set a precedent for dozens of other lawsuits involving the rights of transgender children.”

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CNN political director David Chalian said Republicans will use the ongoing transgender debate ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, but stressed there will be a “real human impact” on American families. 

“We’re going to learn what the human impact is of this court decision among families across the country, but in the politics of it, I think the two things to watch are how Republicans will sort of hit the gas on this issue, what they believe is a winning culture war issue for them, and watch how Democrats, especially those considering a 2028 presidential campaign, respond to this court ruling. Have they learned to message around this issue in a way that’s more politically palatable than what Kamala Harris was able to do back in 24,” Chalian said on the channel.

An MSNBC panel sounded the alarm about the “slippery slope” that could put transgender kids at risk as a result of the ruling. 

“Any transgender minor is now at risk because states are copycats. They see now that Tennessee has been successful, and so they’re going to implement laws that copy the language here,” MSNBC legal analyst Barbara McQuade said. “So I think if you are a family today with a transgender child, your child is likely at risk if you live in a state that is hostile to transgender Americans.”