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U.S. Supreme Court's Skrmetti decision is a
direct assault on civil liberties,
​parents' rights, and human dignity

By Keith D. Elston, Legal Director
Kentucky Youth Law Project, Inc.
Wednesday, June 18, 2025

The United States Supreme Court's decision in U.S. v. Skrmetti is not only a grave miscarriage of justice but also a direct assault on civil liberties, parental rights, and human dignity. It reflects a chilling willingness to prioritize right-wing misinformation over medical science, legal precedent, and, most alarmingly, the lives of transgender and nonbinary children.

This ruling, cloaked in the language of judicial restraint, is anything but neutral. It empowers state legislatures to intrude into the most personal decisions a family can make: the health and well-being of their child. It allows politicians — not doctors, not parents — to decide what care a child can receive, and in doing so, denies families the right to pursue evidence-based, life-affirming medical treatment for their children.

Let us be absolutely clear: gender-affirming healthcare is not experimental. It is recognized and endorsed by every major medical and psychological association in the United States. By upholding bans on such care, the Court has declared that transgender youth, already some of the most vulnerable in our society, are undeserving of the same rights to physical and mental health care given to others.

But this decision goes beyond just trans kids. If the Court can deny gender-affirming care today, what's to stop it from blocking access to reproductive care, as it did in Dobbs, tomorrow? From taking away the rights of older adults to Medicare or Medicaid? From targeting any group whose health needs don't fit the political agenda?

We must acknowledge the threat: this ruling is not an isolated incident. It's part of a larger effort to redefine who deserves care. If we let any government decide whose bodies deserve dignity and protection, we've abandoned the principles of equality and freedom that this country is built on.

So, to those who ask why we care about such a "small minority," consider this: your healthcare is next. When rights are stripped from the margins, the center eventually collapses. Today it's trans children; tomorrow, it could be your daughter, your parent, or you.

Healthcare is a civil and human right ... for everyone.
Lawyers Helping LGBTQ+ Children & Youth 
​​Abogados que ayudan a los niños y jóvenes LGBTQ+
A nonprofit legal services corporation providing no-fee legal assistance and advocacy for Kentucky's LGBTQ+ Youth.
Una corporación de servicios legales sin ánimo de lucro que proporciona asistencia legal gratuita y defensa de los  jóvenes LGBTQ+ de Kentucky.
​
Or, Text "DONATE" to 859-208-2821
to make your tax-deductible gift to the
​Kentucky Youth Law Project.

O bien, envíe un mensaje de texto con la palabra "DONATE" al 859-208-2821 para hacer
su donación deducible de impuestos
​al Kentucky Youth Law Project.

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Attention Students!
Check out the Ultimate Guide to Resources for LGBTQ+ Students here.

​¡Atención estudiantes!
Consulte la Guía definitiva de recursos para estudiantes LGBTQ+ aquí.
Remember KYLP in ​your Estate Planning

​A Legacy Gift is a planned future gift that designates some part of your estate as a donation to a nonprofit organization.

​A legacy gift can create a powerful philanthropic legacy by making a direct impact on the causes that are important to you. Please consider making a legacy gift to KYLP in your estate plans. Questions? Contact us at our tollfree number, ​844-220-0226.
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   The mission of the Kentucky Youth Law Project, Inc. is to enhance and protect the legal rights and entitlements of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, gender fluid, and gender non-conforming ;(LGBTQ+) children and youth through free legal representation, education, training, and public policy advocacy. Because up to 40% of all homeless youth identify as LGBTQ+ our goal is to reduce homelessness and promote equal treatment for LGBTQ+ youth in social welfare agencies, government services, the Courts, and public schools throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
      Founder and Legal Director Keith D. Elston serves on the Kentucky Bar Association's (KBA)  Committee on Child Protection and Domestic Violence and is Chair of the KBA LGBT Law Section. He is a member of the Kentucky Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association, and is a vetted member of the NLGBTQ+ Bar Association's Family Law Institute and the Transgender Law Institute. He has made numerous professional presentations to Kentucky lawyers, judges, social workers, and educators on LGBTQ+ youth issues, and has represented hundreds of  LGBTQ+ clients.
     Mr. Elston sees clients and potential clients by appointment only. If you are an LGBTQ+ youth age 25 and under, or are the parent or guardian of an LGBTQ+ youth, and you would like to consult with us regarding an issue related to your (or your child's) sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, please fill out and submit the contact request, above.
​​​Call us toll free: (844) 220-0226

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