Appeals court allows Alabama transgender treatment ban to take effect, pending trial

A panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has permitted Alabama to enforce a ban on puberty blockers and other transgender treatments for children while a challenge proceeds to trial next year.

The decision saw the court vacate a temporary injunction against the ban, the Associated Press reported. The court will not issue a permanent decision under the scheduled April 2 trial.

The court determined that the state had "a compelling interest in protecting children from drugs, particularly those for which there is uncertainty regarding benefits, recent surges in use, and irreversible effects."

Alabama enacted the Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act in 2022. At least 22 states have enacted some restrictions on transgender treatments for minors, which may include surgeries, hormonal, or chemical treatments, according to the Movement Advancement Project.

State Attorney General Steve Marshall celebrated the decision on Monday, saying that the court "reinforced that the State has the authority to safeguard the physical and psychological wellbeing of minors, even if the United States Attorney General and radical interest groups disapprove."

"Alabama takes the responsibility seriously by forbidding doctors from prescribing minors sex-modification procedures that have permanent and often irreversible effects. This is a significant victory for our country, for children, and for common sense," he declared.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.