Tennessee AG optimistic about SCOTUS case after ‘radical gender ideology’ reversal in lower court

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti is feeling cautiously optimistic about the future success of his Supreme Court gender case after securing another legal win in Kentucky. This victory will reverse the Biden administration’s Title IX rewrite nationwide. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky Northern Division made the ruling in Cardona v. Tennessee on Thursday.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Skrmetti expressed his satisfaction with the recent win, stating, “Every win we get is another break in the wall of ensuring that the law means what the people who voted for it thought it meant.” The ruling comes on the heels of the Supreme Court rejecting the Biden administration’s emergency request to enforce portions of a new rule that would have included protections for transgender students under Title IX.
The rule, issued in April and taking effect on August 1, 2024, clarified that Title IX’s ban on “sex” discrimination in schools covered discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy-related conditions. Skrmetti criticized the rule as an overreach by the Biden administration and stated that he was pleased to have been able to stop it.
Looking ahead, Skrmetti is focused on the upcoming decision in the United States v. Skrmetti case, expected by June. The Supreme Court is considering whether states can ban medical providers from offering puberty blockers and hormone treatments to children seeking transgender surgical procedures under the equal protection clause.
The lawsuit against Tennessee’s law banning transgender treatment for minors was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of several transgender minors and their parents. They argue that the law infringes on parental rights and forces families to seek treatment out-of-state. Skrmetti believes that there has been a cultural shift on these issues and that attempts to rewrite laws through non-democratic processes are detrimental to America.
The recent legal victories are seen as part of a broader “vibe shift” in the country, indicating a decline in efforts to reshape American law through non-democratic means. Skrmetti emphasized the importance of upholding the law and ensuring that it reflects the will of the people.
As the Supreme Court prepares to make its decision in the United States v. Skrmetti case, Skrmetti remains hopeful that the court will uphold the rule of law. The outcome of this case will have significant implications for transgender rights and parental rights in the United States.
Fox News Digital’s Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report. Jamie Joseph is a writer covering politics and leading Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate.