Plaintiffs in the case Boe v. Marshall have dropped a challenge to an Alabama state law that will prohibit transgender youth from receiving gender-affirming care.
The lawsuit was initially brought by several parents of transgender minors in 2023 after the Alabama legislature passed the Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act in 2022.
The law makes it a felony for doctors to administer puberty blockers and hormones to individuals under 19 years of age. If convicted the an individual could be sentenced to over 10 years in prison.
Attorney General Steve Marshall, the representative for Alabama in the case, celebrated the dismissal of the case.
According to Marshall the dismissal marks a “total and historic win for the State of Alabama.”
“This victory is not just for Alabama. This is a generational win for children, for families, and for reality itself,” Marshall said. “Alabama refused to be bullied. Now the rest of the country is seeing the truth. We are proud to lead that effort.”
The plaintiffs were represented by several national organizations including the Human Rights Campaign, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders (GLAD Law).
The National Center for Lesbian Rights and GLAD Law provided a joint statement to AL.com regarding the case being dropped.
“A lot has changed in over three years. This is a very challenging environment for transgender adolescents and their families,” the statement read.
“The plaintiff families in this case were incredibly courageous to bring a case which secured an initial injunction that blocked the ban temporarily and made a huge difference in people’s lives.
“The shutting down of medical care in Alabama has forced our plaintiffs and other Alabama families to make heart wrenching decisions that no family should ever have to make, and they are making the decisions they need to make that are right for them.
“We salute the courage of these plaintiffs, and we will continue fighting to ensure families across the country have the freedom to get their transgender children the proven medical care that enables them to thrive.”
The American Medical Association has routinely advised against states banning gender affirming care for transgender youth.