The United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday in a pivotal case concerning Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming medical treatments for minors. The case, United States v. Skrmetti, represents the first time the justices have weighed in on state-level restrictions that currently affect youth in more than two dozen states. The Department of Justice and legal representatives for several families argue that the law constitutes sex-based discrimination and infringes upon parental rights to oversee medical care. In contrast, lawyers for the state of Tennessee maintain that the law is a valid exercise of state power intended to protect children from medical procedures with long-term effects. Observers note that the court's eventual ruling, expected by late June, will likely establish a national precedent for how states can regulate healthcare for transgender individuals.