United States v. Skrmetti

The Clinic filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court on behalf of interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth, the world’s leading intersex advocacy organization, in a case concerning Tennessee’s statutory ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors.

The brief highlights the irrationality of the statute’s “intersex exception,” which permits unnecessary and irreversible genital surgeries on non-consenting infants and young children when performed to make their bodies conform to societal expectations about sex and gender, even as the statute prohibits the very same procedures—and far less invasive ones, like puberty blockers and hormone treatments—when transgender teenagers seek them consensually to relieve severe psychological distress.

Rios v. United States

The Clinic filed an amicus brief in the Tenth Circuit in support of the plaintiff, a transgender woman who had a history of being sexually victimized in prison and brought a civil rights suit against various corrections staff for their failure to protect her in prison and to investigate her rape. Ms. Rios is being represented by the MacArthur Justice Center.

The brief, which was signed by six high-ranking former corrections officials, argues that corrections officers are well aware of the extreme rates of abuse experienced by transgender prisoners, and describes the basic duty that corrections officers have to keep prisoners safe.

Shorter v. United States

The Clinic filed an amicus brief in the Third Circuit in support of the plaintiff, a transgender woman who had a history of being sexually victimized in prison and brought a civil rights suit against various corrections staff for their failure to protect her in prison and to investigate her rape. Ms. Shorter is being represented by Rights Behind Bars.

The brief, which was signed by eight high-ranking former corrections officials, argues that corrections officers are well aware of the extreme rates of abuse experienced by transgender prisoners, and describes the basic duty that corrections officers have to keep prisoners safe.

B.A.G.L.Y. v. H.H.S.

The Clinic filed an amicus brief in the District of Massachusetts joined by AIDS United, the Center for Constitutional Rights, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the National Center for Transgender Equality, the National LGBT Bar Association, and the National Trans Bar Association in support of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging the Department of Health and Human Services’ attempt to roll back protections against discrimination on the basis of sex stereotypes, sexual orientation, and gender identity from Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act.

The brief argues that the rollback will worsen existing health disparities in the LGBTQ+ community by undermining avenues for federal relief for health care discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation and by sanctioning discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community on the basis of religion.