Federal Judge Affirms Indiana Ban on Gender-Transition Procedures for Minors

A federal district court in Indiana ruled in favor of the state, confirming the legality of a law that forbids minors from receiving hormone replacement therapy, puberty blockers, or gender-transition surgeries. Judge James Patrick Hanlon, a Trump appointee, entered final judgment that dismissed the American Civil Liberties Union’s lawsuit with prejudice, ending the legal challenge. The statute, enacted in 2023 under former Governor Eric Holcomb, was previously blocked by a lower court but reinstated after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that injunction.

Attorney General Todd Rokita praised the outcome as a defense of children against “woke gender ideology.” The decision echoes the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling in U.S. v. Skrmetti, which held that such bans do not violate the 14th Amendment. The ACLU has reportedly abandoned further litigation on the matter.