The Supreme Court’s 2024-2025 term officially begins today. And while the full docket for the new term is still developing, the court has already scheduled arguments for the next two months. With the presidential election on the horizon, it’s no surprise that many of these cases are politically charged.
From bans on gender-affirming care to age-verification requirements on porn sites, these controversial cases are top-of-mind this Monday morning. Let’s dive into the details.
Videos by VICE
Biden’s ‘ghost guns’ rule
Ghost guns have been an ongoing issue in American courts, and some view their manufacture—possibly at home, possibly in secret—as a way to get around existing gun control laws in the U.S.
Many 3D-printed guns require that people buy partly finished frames, though. The Biden administration wants to require vendors to treat those components like fully completed firearms, making them subject to federal regulations, including serial numbers and background checks.
The Supreme Court will decide whether the administration is “rewriting gun control laws,” according to USA Today—something only Congress can do.
Bans on gender-affirming care
A group of transgender youth, their families, and medical providers has challenged Tennessee’s ban on puberty blockers and hormone therapy. They say the law is discriminatory for singling out trans youth. The state claims it has an “interest in encouraging minors to appreciate their sex” and in prohibiting treatments “that might encourage minors to become disdainful of their sex.”
Nearly half of all U.S. states have attempted to ban gender-affirming care for minors—so it should be an especially impactful ruling.
age verification on porn sites
The court is currently reviewing Texas’s age verification law for porn websites. Some worry that providing such information online can compromise individuals’ privacy. While the Texas law is meant to protect minors from the dangers of porn, the question is whether that can be harmful in other ways.
It’s a hot topic in other states as well. For example, accessing porn in Utah now requires residents to provide age verification, either via a government-issued ID or facial analysis technology, which could estimate the wrong age and actually ban you from a porn site.
