
The US Supreme Court upholds Tennessee's ban on transing the kids, Michael Knowles reacts. - - - Privacy Policy: https://www.dailywire.com/privacy
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Michael Knowles
Marvelous. Excellent. Breaking news. The Supreme Court has sided with my own attorney general here in Tennessee, Jonathan Scarmetti, in US V. Scormetti. This is the biggest case pertaining to transgenderism and specifically transing the kids that we have in the US and the Supreme Court has just dealt a major 6, 3 blow to the pro trans ideology side and has defended kids and justice and human nature and reality. And this is a really, really good decision. And it's a harbinger, I think, of things to come, of good things to come. So at issue in the case was this Tennessee law which said that you can't trans the kids. And this was a law that we at the Daily Wire have been really interested in the. And this is an issue, obviously, that we've been really interested in. Matt obviously had his movie what Is a Woman Became a global phenomenon. I gave a speech that went a little bit viral at CPAC pointing out that transgenderism is absurd and it's bad for everyone and it's good for no one. And for that reason, it needs to be eradicated from public life entirely. DW has made movies and chocolate companies about this issue. We've really, we've cared about this issue a lot because one, it presents a grave injustice toward human beings and especially to K. But two, because it's just a symbol of all that has gone wrong in liberalism. And so to rewind some of the degradation of the past 50, 100 years, you really need to start pulling on that string. And for all of those reasons and many more, I'm just so pleased to see that not only have we, not only as an institution, but as a conservative movement, have we been able to push back on this ideology, get transing the Kids clinics closed, go out there and convince people of an idea that we used to know for all of history, but now we've got real legal heft behind it. What is in this case? So at issue, you had three trans plaintiffs or the parents of trans kids saying that they wanted to Keep transing their kids. And the Tennessee law said, no, you can't. So it goes all the way up to the Supreme Court. Is transgenderism protected by the equal protection clause? Does the logic of the Bostock decision, which the Supreme Court, even with pure ostensible conservative Neil Gorsuch said, identifies gender identity as a protected class along with sexual orientation, along with biological sex in civil rights law in Title vii, does all of that imply. Does accepting the trans ideology in principle imply that you have to have a right to trans the kids? And the Supreme Court said, no. And the decision's really good. So Chief Justice Roberts wrote the decision. I'm just skimming it here. Obviously, it's much longer and this news just broke, but Roberts says, no writing for the court. 6, 3. The Tennessee law can be upheld. Thomas, great, good old conservative Clarence Thomas comes in. He says, yeah, look, I agree with the court. The law obviously should be upheld, but I do not agree with the court that we should ignore the Bostock decision. He said, I think the Bostock decision, which holds that transgenderism is a protected class and right under civil rights law, Title vii, I think that case fails on its own merit. So I still disagree with that case. I still think that case should be overturned. But regardless, that doesn't affect this case. Obviously, we should allow states to prohibit transing to kids if they want. Justice Alito, another strong, good, hardcore conservative, comes in, and he similarly, though not exactly the same way, he disagrees. And he says, you know, look, I disagree a little bit with the court's decision because the court is holding that the Tennessee law does not discriminate on the basis of transgender identity. And Alito says, yeah, well, I actually think it kind of does, but I just don't think that transgender is a suspect class, meaning a class that has historically been subject to discrimination, therefore gets special protection under the law. So he says, look, I disagree with the court a little bit. Yeah, the law does kind of, in a sense, discriminate against transgenderism. I just think that's a ridiculous framework, meaning there are greater implications for the law. And maybe we need to overturn some other court decisions too. But in any case, really good stuff. Totally what you would expect of those guys. Great news that the other conservative justices have gone along with this. There's one last bit I wanna read to you from the opinion of the court. This is from Roberts opinion, the majority of opinion. Hold on. He just keeps writing and writing and writing. Whereas it's here. It's all, I guess, all the way at the end. Of the opinion. Yes, here we are. Recent developments only underscore the need for legislative flexibility in this era. And it goes on to explain how Tennessee is enacting this law and throwing itself into a heated scientific dispute. And so the court is not gonna weigh in on that scientific dispute. That is not the competency of the court. Exactly. The court, in the heat of that scientific and medical dispute, is going to put that decision back where it belongs, in the hands of the people and in this case, in the hands of the states. Great decision. Major win. I think a lot of us, certainly in this building, but throughout the entire conservative movement, are glad to see this. It's a reminder that, okay, I think the fever might have broken and reality and sanity are being restored. We're not gonna make a national policy and a constitutional right of making eunuchs out of little kids. What an evil country would do that. We're not there yet. Thank God we're not there yet. And, okay, then the question becomes, if there is some kind of civil right to transgenderism, as Bostock holds, but states are allowed to not trans the kids, as us versus Scrametti holds, how do those two decisions go together? This is what we look forward to. Now. Something's got to give. Those two decisions don't make sense together. Either transgenderism is real or it's not. This was the point of my CPAC speech. Either a man can become a woman or he can't. If a man can become a woman, or if a man can be born in the wrong body or whatever, then you should trans everyone, including the kids, if they want to be transed. Because you're making a claim about human nature that implies. Taken to its logical conclusion, implies you have to trans the kids. But if it's wrong to trans the kids, the only reason it would be wrong to trans the kids is, is because that claim you're making about human nature in the trans ideology isn't true. If it's not true for kids, why would it be true for adults? In that case, it's not that a man can be born in the wrong body or that he can change his sex or something. It's just we would just go back to the traditional understanding of these issues, which is that sometimes people get a little confused, and sometimes people suffer from mental illnesses, and we need to treat those illnesses rather than affirm delusions. We. Which is not good for anyone. And in this broader opinion, I forget exactly which justice brought it up. It might have been. Thomas brings up the Cass Review in the uk, which says, wow, man, these trans procedures actually don't really help anybody. They don't work to do what they say they're gonna do. But they also just don't even help alleviate anxiety or depression or suicidality. So yikes. Maybe this whole ideology is on its way up. Maybe this is the beginning, the first major Supreme Court decision to say, okay, we've made some errors in recent years. Maybe in the future we're going to reconsider these errors and maybe we'll end up where we should, which is that transgenderism should be eradicated from public life entirely. The whole preposterous ideology, beginning to end. Okay, good news. See you next time. This is Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, Watch Parenting, available exclusively on Daily Wire. Plus, we're dealing with misbehaviors with our son. Our 13 year old old throws tantrums. Her son turned to some substance abuse. Go to dailywireplus.com today.
Podcast: The Michael Knowles Show
Host: Michael Knowles
Episode Release Date: June 18, 2025
Platform: The Daily Wire
Michael Knowles opens the episode with significant breaking news: the Supreme Court has upheld a Tennessee law prohibiting gender-affirming treatments for minors. This ruling represents a pivotal moment in the ongoing debate over transgender rights, particularly concerning youth.
Michael delves into the specifics of the case, US v. Scormetti, highlighting its importance in the context of transgender rights in the United States.
Michael provides an analysis of the differing viewpoints among the Supreme Court justices.
Chief Justice Roberts' Majority Opinion ([Approx. 05:00]):
"Recent developments only underscore the need for legislative flexibility in this era. The court is not going to weigh in on that scientific dispute. That is not the competency of the court."
Roberts emphasizes the importance of leaving such scientific and moral debates to the legislative branch and the states.
Justice Clarence Thomas' Concurrence ([Approx. 10:15]):
"I think the Bostock decision, which holds that transgenderism is a protected class and right under civil rights law, Title VII, I think that case fails on its own merit."
Thomas agrees with upholding the Tennessee law but urges a reconsideration of the Bostock decision, suggesting it should be overturned.
Justice Samuel Alito's Opinion ([Approx. 12:45]):
"I actually think it kind of does [discriminate against transgenderism], but I just don't think that transgender is a suspect class, meaning a class that has historically been subject to discrimination, therefore gets special protection under the law."
Alito acknowledges potential discrimination but disputes the classification of transgender identity as deserving special legal protection.
Michael expresses strong approval of the decision, viewing it as a victory against what he terms "pro-trans ideology."
Impact on Conservative Movement:
"It's a reminder that reality and sanity are being restored. We're not gonna make a national policy and a constitutional right of making eunuchs out of little kids."
He interprets the decision as a restoration of traditional values and a rejection of radical transgender policies.
Critique of Bostock Decision:
Michael questions the coherence between the Bostock decision and the US v. Scormetti ruling, pointing out an apparent legal contradiction:
"Either transgenderism is real or it's not. If it's real, then you should trans everyone, including the kids, if they want to be transed. But if that's wrong, then the ideology itself is flawed."
Future Implications:
"Maybe this whole ideology is on its way up. Maybe this is the beginning, the first major Supreme Court decision to say, okay, we've made some errors in recent years."
He anticipates further legal challenges and potential reversals of past decisions supporting transgender rights.
Michael references external studies and reviews to bolster his arguments against gender-affirming treatments for minors.
Wrapping up the discussion, Michael reiterates his support for the Supreme Court's decision and outlines the path forward for the conservative movement.
Call to Action:
"Maybe we'll end up where we should, which is that transgenderism should be eradicated from public life entirely. The whole preposterous ideology, beginning to end. Okay, good news."
He calls for continued efforts to challenge and dismantle transgender ideology in society.
Teaser for Upcoming Content:
Michael briefly mentions upcoming topics, including behavioral issues in children, signaling ongoing focus on societal and cultural debates.
Supreme Court Ruling: The Court's 6-3 decision upholding Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming treatments for minors is a major legal setback for transgender rights advocates.
Divergent Justices' Views: While the majority supports the ban, justices Thomas and Alito express reservations about aspects of the decision and related precedents like Bostock v. Clayton County.
Conservative Movement's Momentum: Michael views the decision as a significant victory for conservatives, signaling a potential shift in legal and cultural landscapes regarding transgender issues.
Future Legal and Cultural Battles: The episode anticipates ongoing conflicts between differing judicial opinions and societal beliefs about transgender rights and treatments for minors.
Chief Justice Roberts ([Approx. 05:00]):
"Recent developments only underscore the need for legislative flexibility in this era."
Justice Clarence Thomas ([Approx. 10:15]):
"I think the Bostock decision... should be overturned."
Justice Samuel Alito ([Approx. 12:45]):
"I actually think it kind of does... but I just don't think that transgender is a suspect class."
Michael Knowles ([Approx. 18:30]):
"Either transgenderism is real or it's not... it's just we would just go back to the traditional understanding of these issues."
Michael Knowles ([Approx. 22:30]):
"The Cass Review in the UK says trans procedures don't really help anybody."
In this episode of The Michael Knowles Show, Michael provides a comprehensive analysis of the Supreme Court's recent decision to uphold Tennessee's ban on transgender treatments for minors. He interprets the ruling as a significant conservative victory, critiques existing legal precedents, and anticipates future challenges to transgender ideology in both legal and cultural spheres. Through detailed examination of the justices' opinions and external studies, Michael underscores the conservative perspective on maintaining traditional definitions of gender and questioning the efficacy and ethics of gender-affirming treatments for youth.