Louisiana
Louisiana families file lawsuit to block state ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth
LGBTQ rights group Lambda Legal announced a lawsuit Monday seeking to block enforcement of a Louisiana ban on gender-affirming procedures for transgender youth.
The civil rights organization prepared the lawsuit, along with the Center for Health Law & Policy Innovation of Harvard Law and a Louisiana law firm, on behalf of five Louisiana minors and their families. The lawsuit targets Act 466, known as the Health Care Ban, which prohibits gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors in Louisiana.
The Health Care Ban took effect on January 1 after Louisiana lawmakers overrode then-governor John Bel Edwards’ veto. The law prohibits hormone treatments, gender reassignment and other gender-affirming healthcare procedures for minors. Lambda Legal claimed in a statement that the ban removes parents’ rights to direct their child’s healthcare, violates the state constitution by unlawfully interfering with minors’ right to obtain or reject medical care, and violates the state constitution’s guarantee to equal protection under the law by discriminating based on sex and transgender status.
Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, Counsel and Health Care Strategist for Lambda Legal, claimed the Health Care Ban singles out trans youth by prohibiting the medical care “only for minors who are transgender, despite it being evidence-based, safe, and effective.” He argued that denying medical care to minors just because they are transgender is “unlawful and inhumane,” especially considering the same treatment is still available to all other minors.
The lawsuit, Soe, et al. v. The Louisiana Board of Medical Examiners, et al., was filed in the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, and the plaintiffs are five minors aged 9-16 as well as their respective parents and guardians.
Louisiana is not the only state challenging access to gender-affirming care for trans minors. In December, a federal judge declined to pause a challenge to an Alabama law that criminalized such treatment for minors. The same month, the governor of Ohio vetoed a bill banning gender-affirming care for minors.
Louisiana is one of 21 states to ban gender-affirming medication and surgical care for transgender youth, and the state has initiated and/or passed several bills that center on LGBTQ+ rights in the past few years. In 2022, Louisiana passed a law banning trans youth from participating in sports corresponding with their gender identity. Last year, the state legislature failed to override two vetoes by then-governor Edwards. One of those bills would have banned the discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in public schools, and the other would’ve required school employees to refer to students by the names and pronouns that align with their birth certificates, even if it did not align with their gender identities, until the child’s parent provided permission to do otherwise.
After Jeff Landry, who has supported the state’s ban on gender-affirming care for trans minors, won Louisiana’s gubernatorial election in October, trans activists have predicted that the two bills will be reintroduced in 2024 and signed into law by Landry.
Louisiana
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When it comes to retiring, the best places to do so often are affordable, have a high quality of life and access to quality healthcare.
If you’re looking for a place to retire, Niche has identified the best places for retirees in Louisiana.
In its list, Niche has taken into account factors like weather, crime rates, housing costs and access to amenities.
The 5 best places to retire in Louisiana according to Niche
These are the top five best places to retire in Louisiana, according to Niche.
1. Oak Hills Place
Oak Hills Place is a suburb of Baton Rouge and is the overall best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb, located in East Baton Rouge Parish, has a population of 9,038 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. The area is highly rated for families, diversity, as well as health and fitness. Here, the median home value is $437,900 and the median rent is $1,422, according to Niche.
2. Westminster
Westminster is another suburb of Baton Rouge and is the second-best place to retire in Louisiana. Located in East Baton Rouge Parish, this suburb has a population of 2,559 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. This area is highly rated for nightlife, diversity, families, health and fitness, as well as commute. The median home value here is $266,100 and the median rent is $1,482, says Niche.
3. River Ridge
River Ridge is a suburb of New Orleans, located in Jefferson Parish, and is the third-best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb has a population of 13,312 and offers residents a dense suburban feel. The area is highly rated for public schools, family, nightlife and diversity. The median home value is $357,400 and the median rent is $1,127, according to Niche.
4. Westlake
Westlake is a town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. With a population of 4,743, this town offers residents a rural feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, jobs, cost of living, nightlife and weather. Here, the median home value is $166,100 and the median rent is $1,049, says Niche.
5. Prien
Prien is another town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. This town has a population of 7,119 and offers residents a suburban rural mix feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, nightlife and weather. The median home value here is $278,000 and the median rent is $1,292, according to Niche.
Presley Bo Tyler is the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team reporter for USA Today Network. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
A motorcyclist is recovering after a West Monroe crash involving an 18-wheeler, while Chevron won a Louisiana Supreme Court ruling shifting a major coastal lawsuit back to lower courts. Ouachita deputies arrested a suspect and recovered more than a dozen guns, Mississippi passed a new school social-media safety requirement, and Louisiana’s House advanced a unanimous state budget. A new recovery center opened, and multiple weekend events are underway across northeast Louisiana, plus national updates include stock-market stress guidance, a Ford F-150 recall, Spirit Airlines uncertainty, and tax-refund tips.
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