BOISE, Idaho — The families of two transgender teens in Idaho have filed a new motion in a suit over an Idaho law that would ban gender-affirming care for minors, asking the court to stop the ban from going into effect while the lawsuit is ongoing.
House Bill 71, a law passed by the Idaho Legislature and later signed by Gov. Brad Little, would ban transgender teens from accessing puberty blockers and hormone therapy. The law also includes a penalty of up to 10 years in prison for physicians if they offer gender-affirming care to minors. It is set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024.
Two families who have transgender teens, ages 15 and 16, filed a lawsuit over the ban in June. According to the suit, their children are currently receiving medical care that would be banned under the new law. The plaintiffs asked the court on Friday to issue a preliminary injunction in the matter in order to halt the law while the suit is settled.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are also using the last names Poe and Doe to protect their identities. The defendants include Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts, Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador and employees in the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office.
Being forced to stop hormone treatment or puberty-delaying treatment to alleviate gender dysphoria can have a major impact on mental health, the complaint states. Pam Poe, one of the plaintiffs, said in the complaint that she came to the realization she was transgender in middle school and began experimenting with feminine clothing and makeup. However, she was still struggling with depression and anxiety, so she saw a counselor. Poe was later diagnosed with gender dysphoria after spending a week in a residential treatment facility, the complaint says.
A year later, Poe began using puberty blockers and her mental health improved -- she then started hormone therapy in 2023, according to the complaint.
"Pam is scared that losing access to her medication will mean that her body will undergo unwanted, permanent changes that are inconsistent with her gender identity. Pam and her parents worry about the severe stress and anxiety associated with Pam’s gender dysphoria returning if she is forced to stop gender-affirming medical care," the suit says. It claims Little signed the bill in the name of "protecting minors," but that he and other lawmakers ignored hours of testimony in House and Senate committees from transgender teens begging them to refrain from passing the bill.
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