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Elliot Page and others support trans rights in Supreme Court challenge of Tennessee law

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Elliot Page and others support trans rights in Supreme Court challenge of Tennessee law

Oscar-nominated actor Elliot Page and 63 other transgender adults have filed a Supreme Court brief sharing their views and experiences ahead of an important transgender rights case this coming high court term — which kicks off in October.

The case involves Tennessee Senate Bill 1, which prohibits medical treatments that are intended to allow a minor “to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the minor’s sex” or to treat “purported discomfort or distress from a discordance between the minor’s sex and asserted identity.”

The legal question in the appeal, United States v. Skrmettiis whether SB1 violates the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause.

In the brief filed Tuesday, Page and dozens of other transgender people — including teachers, lawyers, scientists, artists, athletes, public servants, medical professionals and faith leaders — told the justices that they’re thriving because of gender-affirming care. Among those who signed the amicus brief are “Supergirl” star Nicole Maines and Delaware state Sen. Sarah McBride.

“The healthcare that SB1 and the twenty-three laws like it prohibit is lifesaving,” the signers wrote, adding that Tennessee’s view that such care worsens distress or is unsuitable for adolescents is contradicted not only by medical science but also by their own experiences and the “overwhelming majority” of transgender people.

“Early care relieved gender dysphoria and, for some, has even saved their lives,” they wrote.

The court filing highlights the real-world stakes of what’s set to be one of the more closely watched cases this coming Supreme Court term, with a decision expected by the end of June.

Subscribe to the Deadline: Legal Newsletter for updates and expert analysis on the top legal stories. The newsletter will return to its regular weekly schedule when the Supreme Court’s next term kicks off in October.

Jordan Rubin

Jordan Rubin is the Deadline: Legal Blog writer. He was a prosecutor for the New York County District Attorney’s Office in Manhattan and is the author of “Bizarro,” a book about the secret war on synthetic drugs. Before he joined BLN, he was a legal reporter for Bloomberg Law.

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Virginia Supreme Court will hear redistricting challenge

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Virginia’s state Supreme Court will decide whether state Democrats’ gerrymander push can proceed after an appeals court on Wednesday pushed the case to the high court.

The state Circuit Court of Appeals, in a motion, stated that the case is of “such imperative public importance as to justify the deviation from normal appellate practice and to require prompt decision in the Supreme Court.”

The move comes after a court in Tazewell County last week blocked Virginia Democrats from going forward with gerrymandering, ruling that the Democrat-led Legislature had wrongly approved a constitutional amendment that would allow for mid-decade redrawing of congressional districts ahead of the midterms this fall.

The move is a potential bright spot for Democrats, who had been stymied by the lower court ruling blocking the party’s attempt to gain upwards of four seats in the midterms through redistricting. Currently, Democrats hold six seats in the state while Republicans control five.

The Republican-backed group Virginians for Fair Maps, one of the main organizations against redistricting in the state, declined to comment.

Virginians for Fair Elections, the Democrat-affiliated group launched last month to urge voters to approve the measure, declined to comment on the record.

Last October, Democratic lawmakers began the process of redrawing maps in the state, an effort that only gained traction after voters elected Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger in the November election and the GOP lost 13 seats in the House of Delegates.

Virginia Democrats had been so confident prior to the Tazewell County court ruling that party leaders vowed to unveil new maps it wanted Virginia voters to approve by the end of last month, with promises of unveiling a map that goes as far as 10-1 in favor of their party.

Virginia is seen as the top prize in Democrats’ redistricting push, especially if Republican-led Florida redraws its maps under Gov. Ron DeSantis. More GOP-led states could also move to draw more red-leaning states if the Supreme Court rules to strike down portions of the Voting Rights Act.

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Congress ends shutdown, approves $1.2T in funding — and sets up DHS cliff

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Congress ends shutdown, approves $1.2T in funding — and sets up DHS cliff

President Donald Trump is expected to swiftly sign the legislation…
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Shutdown end in sight after spending package clears key House hurdle

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A spending package that would fund the vast majority of the federal government cleared a key procedural hurdle Tuesday, setting up votes later in the day to send the measure to the White House for President Donald Trump’s signature. Final passage of the measure, which also includes a funding patch for the Department of Homeland Security through Feb…
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