Montana Judge Halts Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Trans Youth

A Montana district court judge has issued a preliminary injunction blocking the state from enforcing its ban on gender-affirming health care for transgender minors. The judge stated that the ban is unlikely to survive constitutional review and that denying access to gender-affirming care would harm the mental and physical health of transgender minors. This decision adds Montana to the list of Republican-led states where such bans have been halted by court orders. The ban, which was set to take effect on Sunday, prohibits the provision of gender-affirming medical care to minors, including surgical procedures and hormone treatments. Legal advocates celebrated the ruling but acknowledged that the fight is far from over.