Thread by @LukeWGoodrich

#BREAKING: Major victory for #ReligiousFreedom: A federal court just struck down the controversial #TransgenderMandate that ordered doctors to perform potentially harmful gender-transition procedures in violation of conscience and medical judgment: 1/
s3.amazonaws.com/becketnewsite/…

The plaintiffs are religious doctors, hospitals, and clinics who joyfully serve ALL patients regardless of sex or gender identity. They routinely provide top-notch care to transgender patients for everything from cancer to the common cold. 2/

They also provide millions of dollars in free and low-cost care to the elderly, poor, and underserved rural areas. 3/

But a controversial HHS regulation threatens multimillion-dollar penalties unless they perform gender-transition procedures, even when the procedures violate the doctors’ religious beliefs and medical judgment and could harm patients. transgendermandate.org 4/

Today’s decision rightly says the mandate violates federal law. This is now the second court to say so. The other court's decision is currently on appeal at the 5th Circuit: becketlaw.org/case/francisca…. 5/

These religious hospitals and doctors joyfully serve transgender patients. There is ample evidence, however, that certain gender transition procedures can be harmful to patients: transgendermandate.org/research 6/

Several federal courts--including the 5th and 1st Circuits--have examined whether there is “consensus in the medical community about the necessity and efficacy of sex reassignment surgery as a treatment for gender dysphoria.” 7/

These circuits have all reached the same conclusion: “There is no medical consensus that sex reassignment surgery is a necessary or even effective treatment for gender dysphoria.” Gibson v. Collier, 920 F.3d 212, 223 (5th Cir. 2019). ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/1… 8/

HHS’s own doctors during the Obama administration agreed: “Based on a thorough review of the clinical evidence...there is not enough evidence to determine whether gender reassignment surgery improves health outcomes for [patients] with gender dysphoria.” cms.gov/medicare-cover… 9

And a landmark ruling from the British High Court recently said that “puberty blockers” were experimental and that children under 16 likely couldn’t give informed consent to them: newsweek.com/british-court-… 10/

In @BECKETlaw's case decided today, the doctors and hospitals argued that they shouldn’t be forced to perform procedures that violate their consciences and could harm their patients. The federal court agreed. 11/

Today’s ruling protects patients, aligns with current medical research, and ensures doctors aren’t forced to violate their religious beliefs and medical judgment. 12/

This is a victory for common-sense, conscience, and sound medical judgment. And our clients will continue providing outstanding care to transgender patients for everything from cancer to the common cold. fin/