The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from Mercy San Juan Medical Center in California on Monday after the Catholic hospital was sued over denial of care to a #transgender man. Evan Minton sued Dignity, the fifth-largest health care system in the U.S. and the largest operator of hospitals in California. The high court’s denial leaves the California Court of Appeals’ ruling intact, allowing Minton to continue his case against the hospital.

Mercy San Juan Medical Center cancelled Minton’s scheduled hysterectomy after learning that he was transgender, deeming it an “elective sterilization” that goes against Catholic beliefs. “Dignity Health regularly performs the medical procedure sought by Minton for patients who are not transgender,” notes a press release from @aclu_nationwide, “and Minton’s doctor at Mercy San Juan Medical Center has said this is the first time the hospital has prevented her from doing this surgery and it was clear that the surgery was canceled because Minton is transgender.”

Minton’s lawsuit is not the first of its kind, as similar lawsuits have been filed around the nation regarding denial of care to transgender patients. The high court’s refusal to review the ruling marks a shift for trans #healthcare.

Read more on Minton’s case from @theadvocatemag

In March, 16-year-old Stella Keating became the first trans teenager to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee. She spoke in favor of the #EqualityAct, a landmark civil rights legislation that would guarantee protections for LGBTQ+ people in areas such as housing, health care, and education.

“What happens if I want to attend college in a state that doesn’t protect me?” Keating asked lawmakers earlier this year. “Right now, I could be denied medical care or be evicted for simply being transgender in many states. How is that even right? How is that even American?”

This was not Stella Keating’s first time fighting for the rights of #trans young people. In 2018, she worked with Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards to form a council of young people to help affect policy decisions. Keating is also a Champion for the Gender Cool Project (@gendercool), a national youth-led storytelling campaign that has advised major companies on how to create safe workplaces for trans and non-binary people.

TLDEF is thrilled to be honoring Stella Keating with the Visibility Award at this year’s #TransAdvocacyAwards, taking place on Wednesday, October 27th in the historic Prince George Ballroom. For more information on the event and how you can offer support, visit tldef.org/taa

There is a path forward for trans and non-binary people with prior felony convictions.

Our victories in representing Monae Alvarado in Philadelphia and Chauntey Mo’Nique Porter & Priscylla Renee Von Noaker in Pittsburgh lend courage and hope to our trans allies across the country fighting unconstitutional infringements of their basic rights.

In many states, outdated laws make it impossible for people with prior convictions to change their names legally. This greatly affects trans and non-binary people whose incorrect identity documents pose danger and discomfort in their everyday lives.

In Texas, state law mandates that a person cannot change their legal name for two years after completing the terms of their sentence. @transprideinitiative aims to eliminate this unconstitutional barrier. More info available at the link in our bio.

In Illinois, HB2542 aims to change the state’s restrictive law that prohibits name changes for 10 years after completing a sentence. More info on how @acluofil is fighting this law is available through the link in our bio.

No law should stop #trans and #nonbinary people from living their full lives, safely.
#TransRightsAreHumanRights