(The Daily Signal)—Like abortion zealots in the past, gender warriors today are trying to use the courts to force on the American people a dangerous agenda that neither they nor their elected representatives want. So far, at least, they are striking out.
More than half the states have enacted laws banning medical interventions such as puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgery for minors who want to identify as the opposite sex. There’s good reason for doing so. The number of adolescents claiming gender dysphoria is skyrocketing, accompanied by tremendous pressure to blindly follow what the Department of Health and Human Services calls “pediatric medical transition.” Not surprisingly, however, the Food and Drug Administration has not approved drugs for this purpose.
As this trend shot forward, a group of European researchers observed that “virtually nothing is known regarding adolescent-onset gender dysphoria.” A comprehensive report published last year in the United Kingdom described this as “an area of remarkably weak evidence” in which “results of studies are exaggerated or misrepresented.” State legislatures have the constitutional authority to regulate the medical profession—and they’re right to put on the brakes.
This being America, losing in the legislature often means turning to the courts and claiming a constitutional “right” to do this or that. And already, activist groups are recruiting both children and parents to challenge these adolescent sex change bans.
In August 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit upheld Alabama’s ban, and the Sixth Circuit came to the same conclusion regarding Tennessee’s law a month later. The latter decision, L.W. v. Skrmetti, then went before the Supreme Court, which held that Tennessee’s ban did not violate the Constitution.
Two more circuits have now followed suit.
In Poe v. Drummond, the Tenth Circuit ruled on Aug. 6 to uphold Oklahoma’s ban on “gender transition procedures” for minors. Relying on the Supreme Court’s decision in Skrmetti, the court came to the same conclusion about the Oklahoma law.
According to the court, that law is based on age, banning procedures for minors, not adults, and on medical use, banning procedures for “gender transition,” not to treat medical conditions. Neither of those is a special consideration that would justify the Constitution restricting how legislatures address the issue.
Even more recently still, the Eighth Circuit concluded in Brandt v. Griffin on Aug. 12 that Arkansas’ sex change law—virtually identical to Tennessee’s—does not violate the Constitution, citing Skrmetti as justification.
In 2022, the court had put Arkansas’ law on hold while its constitutionality was being litigated. While that preliminary decision was made by a three-judge panel, this final decision came from the full Eighth Circuit, which voted 8-2 to uphold the Arkansas law.
Writing for the majority, Judge William Benton noted that the district court found evidence that these procedures pose risks for minors. Some of these were also noted in a May 2025 DHHS report: impaired bone density accrual, infertility, risk of stroke, and changes in cholesterol and blood thickness. The court, Benton wrote, will not “second-guess the lines” that the legislature chose to draw.
The next round in the gender-litigation fight will come this fall when the Supreme Court takes up two cases, out of Idaho and West Virginia respectively, challenging laws prohibiting men from competing in women’s sports. The American people, and those we elect, have authority to tackle issues like these. Hopefully, the courts will agree.
Why the National Debt Is the Looming Threat to Your Retirement Plans
The Hidden Crisis No One Is Talking About
Every day, headlines warn about inflation, market volatility, and global instability—but the greatest looming threat to your retirement might be something far more fundamental: America’s skyrocketing national debt.
You can learn more about how the national debt affects you by reading this 3-minute report titled, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now“.
With debt growing faster than most Americans can possibly fathom, the government’s borrowing habits have reached historic—and dangerous—levels. To cover spending, Washington is making moves with their budget packages, tariffs, and taxes. Is it enough? No. It’s not even close to what would be necessary to stop out-of-control debt, let alone reverse it.
How Debt Erodes Your Nest Egg
There are only so many levers government and the Federal Reserve can pull to try to protect Americans, assuming that’s even a top priority for them. Unfortunately, pulling one level to relive one pressure invariably adds pressure from another direction. This is why prices keep going up even as inflation reportedly slows.
For retirees and pre-retirees, that’s a perfect storm. The dollars you’ve worked hard to save lose value, and your cost of living increases while your investments lag behind.
If you’re relying solely on paper-based assets—stocks, bonds, or mutual funds—you’re essentially tied to the same system that’s creating the problem. It’s a system that was designed to work well in the 20th century, not in today’s world with people living longer and the dollar rapidly losing value.
This is why the 3-minute report, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now,” is so important.
The Precious Metals Hedge
Thousands of Americans are looking for a tangible, time-tested hedge: physical gold and silver.
Unlike paper assets, precious metals aren’t dependent on government policy or the stock market’s mood swings. They’re real, finite resources that have maintained value for thousands of years through wars, recessions, and inflationary periods.
In fact, during times of high inflation and fiscal instability, gold often performs its best—because it’s seen as a store of value when faith in the dollar weakens. This is why prices have skyrocketed this year and are expected by many economists to continue going up in the future.
Take Control with a Gold IRA
One of the most effective ways to protect your retirement from national debt fallout is through a self-directed Gold IRA. This IRS-approved account lets you hold physical gold and silver within your retirement portfolio, giving you:
- Direct ownership of your assets
- A hedge against inflation and dollar decline
- The control to diversify beyond Wall Street
Augusta Precious Metals specializes in helping Americans just like you take this step with confidence. The company has earned a strong reputation for transparency, education, and personalized service—making it one of the most trusted names in the industry.
The Next Step: Secure Your Financial Future
Augusta Precious Metals has helped thousands of Americans with at least $50,000 to invest from their IRAs, 401(K)s, TSPs, and other retirement accounts safeguard their savings through precious metals.
If you’re concerned about what the rising national debt could mean for your future, now is the time to act.
Read this 3-minute report titled, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now“ and learn the simple steps you can take to protect your retirement.
Queers and pedophiles. Bet that crowd smells “good.”