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Takeaways from the Supreme Court arguments on transgender health care ban: Conservatives skeptical

News

Takeaways from the Supreme Court arguments on transgender health care ban: Conservatives skeptical
News

News

Takeaways from the Supreme Court arguments on transgender health care ban: Conservatives skeptical

2024-12-05 07:10 Last Updated At:07:21

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court heard the most high-profile case of its term on Wednesday, weighing Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming health care for transgender minors.

Similar laws have been passed by other conservative-leaning states. Challengers say they deprive kids of treatment they need, while the states defend them as protecting minors from life-changing decisions.

The conservative-majority court appeared ready to uphold Tennessee's law. It comes against the backdrop of escalating pushback to transgender rights, notably from President-elect Donald Trump.

Here are some takeaways from the arguments:

In the arguments on Wednesday, five of the court's six conservatives seemed skeptical of the argument that the ban on gender-affirming care for minors is discriminatory.

Two key conservatives, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett, repeatedly challenged the arguments from lawyers challenging the ban.

Roberts questioned whether judges should be weighing in on a question of regulating medical procedures, an area usually left to state lawmakers. Barrett sounded skeptical of the administration’s argument that the law discriminates because of sex.

Conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch was notably silent, asking no questions.

The court’s other three conservatives seemed to favor Tennessee. The three liberals largely backed the challengers, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor highlighting the risks of suicide among kids with gender dysphoria.

The litigation marked only the second time the high court has heard a case that represented a fundamental test of transgender rights.

In a case involving LGBTQ+ rights four years ago, two conservative justices, Roberts and Gorsuch, joined with its liberals to expand protections for transgender workers. Barrett wasn’t on the bench at the time and had no record on transgender rights.

Gorsuch wrote the opinion, which left open claims of discrimination in other situations.

The court isn’t expected to rule for several months. The decision could have direct effects in the 26 states that have passed versions of the bans, and might have ripple effects on other measures that restrict sports participation and bathroom use by transgender people.

Supporters of the health care laws argue the gender-affirming treatments are risky, and the laws protect kids from making decisions before they’re ready.

Challengers say many medical interventions come with some degree of risk, and families should be able to weigh those against the benefits. The arguments in favor of Tennessee’s ban could also be used to back federal restrictions, said Chase Strangio, the ACLU attorney who represented three families challenging the law.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said that his state’s arguments would still let each state set its own policy.

Ben Appel, of New York, right, who describes himself as a gay man who is concerned that gender nonconformity is being medicalized, rallies with others who support a Tennessee law banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, outside the Supreme Court in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Ben Appel, of New York, right, who describes himself as a gay man who is concerned that gender nonconformity is being medicalized, rallies with others who support a Tennessee law banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, outside the Supreme Court in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

A young person who preferred not to give her name, cheers as supporters of transgender rights rally by the Supreme Court, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in Washington, while arguments are underway in a case regarding a Tennessee law banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

A young person who preferred not to give her name, cheers as supporters of transgender rights rally by the Supreme Court, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in Washington, while arguments are underway in a case regarding a Tennessee law banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

PARIS (AP) — France's iconic Notre Dame Cathedral is formally reopening its doors on Saturday for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019.

The restoration, a spectacular achievement in just five years for a structure that took nearly two centuries to build, is seen as a moment of triumph for French President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious timeline — and a welcome respite from his domestic political woes.

Under the luminous stained glass, many world leaders, dignitaries, and worshippers will gather in the evening to mark the occasion — a rare moment of unity against the backdrop of global divisions and conflicts.

President-elect Donald Trump, America's first lady Jill Biden, Britain's Prince William and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are among 1,500 guests attending the reopening celebration under Notre Dame’s soaring Gothic arches, led by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich.

Because of strong winds forecast for Saturday evening in Paris, the French presidential palace and the Paris diocese said Friday the entire opening ceremony will be held inside Notre Dame, instead of starting from the cathedral’s forecourt as initially planned.

Notre Dame’s rector, Rev. Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, says the cathedral is "more than just a French monument” and a beloved treasure of world's cultural heritage.

“The cathedral is a magnificent symbol of unity," the rector said. "A sign of hope, because what seemed impossible has become possible.”

Saturday’s events will blend solemn religious tradition with an official presidential speech and cultural grandeur, starting with Ulrich symbolically reopening Notre Dame’s grand wooden doors.

Tapping them three times with a staff crafted from charred wood salvaged from the cathedral’s fire-ravaged roof, he will declare the cathedral open for worship once more.

Huguette Euphrasie’s 79-year-old mother, Marie-Yolande, is battling cancer. So as she stared intently up at Notre Dame’s towers, the daughter appealed Saturday to the cathedral for help, with a prayer on the day of the monument’s reopening.

"It has huge spiritual value for me," Euphrasie said, gathering with people from around the world to watch the reopening from screens on nearby riverbanks. “It's very moving.”

Psalms, prayers, and hymns will fill the cavernous space as the cathedral’s thunderous organ, silenced since the fire, is reawakened. The 8,000-pipe instrument, painstakingly restored and cleaned of toxic lead dust, will respond to the archbishop’s invocation, with four organists performing an improvised interplay of melodies.

Later in the evening, a star-studded concert will take center stage inside the cathedral and pay tribute to its resurrection and to those who labored to restore it, offering a universal message of harmony. Pianist Lang Lang, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and soprano Pretty Yende are among the world-famous artists slated to perform.

On Sunday, Ulrich will lead the inaugural Mass and consecrate the cathedral’s new altar, designed by contemporary artist Guillaume Bardet to replace the one crushed beneath the flaming spire in the blaze.

The reopening of Notre Dame comes at a time of profound global unrest, with wars raging in Ukraine and the Middle East.

For Catholics, Notre Dame's rector said the cathedral "carries the enveloping presence of the Virgin Mary, a maternal and embracing presence.''

“It is a magnificent symbol of unity,” Dumas said.

The range of dignitaries coming to Paris from Africa to the Mideast and the U.S. underline the cathedral's significance as a symbol of shared heritage and peace.

The celebration is expected to give a much-needed boost to embattled Macron, whose prime minister was ousted this week, plunging the nation’s political scene into more turmoil.

The French president, who has called Notre Dame's reopening “a jolt of hope,” will address the gathering. He had hoped the occasion would briefly silence his critics and showcase France’s unity and resilience under his leadership, and the achievement of restoring Notre Dame in just five years — a timeline that had seemed improbable to many.

Macron's presidency now faces its gravest crisis after the government's collapse this week in a historic no-confidence vote that toppled Prime Minister Michel Barnier.

The vote followed months of political gridlock after snap elections. Calls are now growing louder from opposition forces for Macron to resign. But he vowed Thursday to remain in office until the end of his term in 2027, and said he'll name a new prime minister within days.

As France struggles with economic woes and social unrest, Notre Dame's rebirth celebrations form a stark contrast to the crisis.

Security will be high through the weekend, echoing measures taken during the Paris Olympics earlier this year.

The Île de la Cité — the small island in the River Seine that is home to Notre Dame and the historic heart of Paris— is closed to tourists and non-residents. Police vans and barriers blocked cobblestoned streets in a large perimeter around the island, while soldiers in thick body armor and sniffer dogs patrolled embankments. A special security detail is following Trump.

Public viewing areas along the Seine’s southern bank will accommodate 40,000 spectators, who can follow the celebrations on large screens.

For many, Notre Dame’s rebirth is not just a French achievement but a global one — after the reopening, the cathedral is set to welcome 15 million visitors annually, up from 12 million before the fire.

Following the 2019 fire, nearly $1 billion in donations quickly poured in from around the world, testifying to Notre Dame's universal appeal.

Among those who traveled from afar for the reopening was Canadian Noelle Alexandria.

“It’s not the first time she (Notre Dame) has been nearly in ruin, and every time it’s happened, she’s always managed to bounce back. Not many of us could really say that we would do the same, be able to keep coming back no matter what tragedy strike us. But she has,” Alexandria said.

John Leicester and Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through The AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

The Notre Dame cathedral is seen in Paris, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

The Notre Dame cathedral is seen in Paris, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

Notre Dame cathedral is reflected in a puddle in Paris, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Notre Dame cathedral is reflected in a puddle in Paris, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pedestrians take snapshots of Notre Dame Cathedral a day before its ceremonial reopening in Paris on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, following the devastating fire of 2019. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Pedestrians take snapshots of Notre Dame Cathedral a day before its ceremonial reopening in Paris on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, following the devastating fire of 2019. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

FILE - The vaulted ceiling of the Notre-Dame cathedral is seen on Nov. 29, 2024 in Paris. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE - The vaulted ceiling of the Notre-Dame cathedral is seen on Nov. 29, 2024 in Paris. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool Photo via AP, File)

Pedestrians pass Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

Pedestrians pass Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

FILE - The main entrance of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral is pictured on Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin/Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE - The main entrance of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral is pictured on Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin/Pool Photo via AP, File)

People take photographs of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

People take photographs of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

FILE - People stand outside Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, on Nov. 29 2024. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE - People stand outside Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, on Nov. 29 2024. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool Photo via AP, File)

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