Transgender youth and their families in Tennessee have asked the Supreme Court to block the state’s ban on transition care for minors. This petition marks the first time the nation’s highest court is being requested to intervene on this issue following a series of conservative-backed legislation targeting transgender individuals.

Just over a month ago, a divided federal appeals panel allowed bans in Tennessee and Kentucky to remain in effect, further complicating the legal landscape for transgender children and their families. These bans prevent minors from receiving transition care, including hormone therapy and puberty blockers. If the Supreme Court accepts the case, its ruling would have broad implications for the legal challenges in more than 20 states that have enacted similar bans.

Conservative lawmakers argue that these bans are necessary to protect children from undergoing risky and unproven medical procedures. However, transgender individuals and their families argue that these laws have created a stressful and uncertain environment, depriving them of essential care for their well-being.

In June, a federal judge in Arkansas struck down the first ban of its kind in the country. However, conflicting rulings since then have further complicated access to transition care. Some judges have allowed these laws to go into effect temporarily, following a series of rulings that initially stalled their implementation.

The divisions among federal appeals courts increase the likelihood of Supreme Court review, although it is not guaranteed.

“I’m fighting this law because I know how important this care is for tens of thousands of transgender youth like me,” said L.W., a 15-year-old from Tennessee identified only by her initials in court filings. She provided this statement through the American Civil Liberties Union. “It scares me to think about losing the medication that I need.”

Samantha Williams, the teenager’s mother, stated that she wants the Supreme Court to acknowledge her daughter’s rights under the Constitution, recognizing her as she would any other individual.

Tennessee’s attorney general, Jonathan Skrmetti, has consistently defended the state ban and considers the appeals court ruling in late September as “a big win for democracy.” When asked for comment, a spokeswoman mentioned that Mr. Skrmetti and his office are committed to fully litigating this case.

Some plaintiffs, including Ms. Williams and her daughter, argue that preventing medical treatment is a form of sex-based discrimination and a violation of a transgender patient’s constitutional rights.

The bans on medical treatment for transgender minors are part of a series of laws passed by Republican-controlled legislatures this year. These laws regulate various aspects of transgender individuals’ lives, including bathroom use, participation in sports teams, and the ability to change pronouns in school.

In Tennessee, the Republican supermajority in the legislature passed S.B. 1, which prevents doctors from providing new transition care and demands the termination of ongoing care for current patients by March 2024. A lower court temporarily blocked this law in late June.

However, a divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit became the first court to overturn a temporary block on such a ban, suggesting skepticism about the law’s constitutionality. After hearing arguments regarding the Tennessee and Kentucky laws, the appeals panel in Cincinnati concluded that their initial decision was valid.

The transgender minors and families who challenged a similar Kentucky law, which included a ban on transition care along with other controversial policies, are expected to file a similar request with the Supreme Court, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky.

Adam Liptak contributed reporting.