**Tennessee Lawmakers Clash Over Transgender Care Ban as Supreme Court Review Looms**

In Nashville, Tennessee lawmakers are embroiled in a fierce debate over the state's controversial ban on gender-affirming care for children. This contentious issue is set to be reviewed by the Supreme Court, which will rule on its constitutionality.

The law, enacted in 2023, prohibits transgender children in Tennessee from accessing gender-affirming treatments such as puberty blockers, hormones, and surgeries. Advocates for transgender rights are preparing to challenge this ban in front of the Supreme Court, arguing that it violates parental rights.

State Representative Aftyn Behn, whose constituents are involved in the lawsuit, staunchly believes that the ban is unconstitutional. "It directly ignores the rights of parents to make informed medical decisions about their children," Behn stated.

On the other side of the debate, Representative Todd Warner supports the ban, arguing that children are too young to make such significant decisions. "It's child abuse," Warner asserted. "At the age of 10 or 11 years old, I am not sure they really know what they want to do." Warner, a member of the Republican supermajority in the Tennessee Legislature, was a key proponent of the law.

Warner pointed to cases of individuals who de-transitioned as a justification for the ban, but Behn countered that these instances are rare and should not prevent children from receiving necessary care. She warned that the ban exacerbates mental health issues for already vulnerable teens, potentially leading to increased rates of suicide.

When asked by FOX 17 News about the potential impact if the ban is ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, Warner expressed grave concerns. "I think it's going to be terrible. It's not right," he said.

Representative Behn, however, is not optimistic about the ban being overturned due to the conservative majority in the Supreme Court. "It's heartbreaking," she remarked, criticizing the legislative majority for what she perceives as a celebration of the erosion of individual freedoms.

As the Supreme Court prepares to make its decision, parents and advocates on both sides of the issue await the ruling with trepidation, recognizing its profound implications for transgender children's rights and mental health in Tennessee.