Story perspectives

Trump Administration Urges Supreme Court to Lift Gender-Care Ban

By Drooid · Sep 29, 2026, 12:02 PM UTC · How we work

Center

Irreparable Prison Harm

Donald Trump’s administration asked the Supreme Court on Sept. 28, 2026, to lift a judge’s order blocking a policy restricting gender-affirming care for transgender inmates.
The filing says the request is an emergency to enforce an adopted policy, warning lower-court block would cause irreparable harm to prison operations.
The Feb 2026 bans hormones, surgeries, wigs; allows psychiatric care.
Royce Lamberth blocked it; D.C. Circuit affirmed on Sept. 18.

Left

Trans Hormone Therapy Ban

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration asked the Supreme Court on Sept. 28, 2026, to lift a judge’s order blocking a policy restricting gender-affirming care for transgender inmates.
The request would deny transgender prisoners medically necessary hormone therapy, surgeries, and social accommodations, deepening health inequities.
The policy permits psychotherapy but bans hormone therapy, surgeries, binders and wigs.
Judge Royce Lamberth ordered the government to keep providing medical care to certain transgender inmates.

History

Historical Context

After the 2016 Justice Department and Federal Bureau of Prisons issued guidance requiring hormone therapy for roughly 1,200 transgender inmates, courts applied the Eighth Amendment’s deliberate-indifference standard from Estelle v. Gamble (1976) and Farmer v. Brennan (1994) to protect such care. The Trump administration’s September 28, 2026 petition to the Supreme Court seeks to reverse that precedent, threatening federal prison health policy.

1 of 3

Irreparable Prison Harm

Donald Trump’s administration asked the Supreme Court on Sept. 28, 2026, to lift a judge’s order blocking a policy restricting gender-affirming care for transgender inmates.
The filing says the request is an emergency to enforce an adopted policy, warning lower-court block would cause irreparable harm to prison operations.
The Feb 2026 bans hormones, surgeries, wigs; allows psychiatric care.
Royce Lamberth blocked it; D.C. Circuit affirmed on Sept. 18.

1 / 3