Transgender Care Suits Succeed So Far in Countering Rising Bans

Advocates for transgender rights have been racking up early legal victories over states that are trying to ban gender-affirming care for minors, as every court to have considered a ban so far has blocked it.

Federal judges in Florida, Arkansas, and Alabama have allowed parents and doctors—not the states—to determine whether the proper treatment for their children involves care that the medical community considers the “best practices,” including puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.

The decisions, though preliminary, have given advocates confidence that they’ll ultimately succeed in litigation challenging the bans, said Li Nowlin-Sohl, a senior staff attorney with ...