Texas Supreme Court allows ban on subjecting minors to 'gender-affirmation'

The Texas Supreme Court has allowed a state law banning so-called "gender-affirmation" for minors, such as puberty blockers, hormones and surgeries, to take effect while it hears a legal challenge to the statute.

The ruling came on Thursday after a judge last Friday blocked the law in response to a challenge by the families of children and doctors.

The law is set to take effect on Friday.

The Texas Attorney General's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The state had filed the appeal to the Supreme Court, which automatically put the lower court's order on hold and allowed the law to take effect as scheduled.

"Texas kids are safer today because of the Supreme Court ruling," said Jonathan Covey, policy director of Texas Values, a conservative group that supported the law.

"Protecting children from harmful and dangerous gender transition surgeries and puberty blockers is in the best interests of the child and something we all agree on."

The families' lawyers asked the state's highest court for an emergency order again blocking the law while the appeal is heard, but the court rebuffed the request, without giving a reason.

Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, signed the law in June.

Texas is one of at least 20 states that have banned or restricted controversial "gender-affirmation" for minors.