Judge hears from experts to decide whether to block Georgia's ban on gender-affirming care

Supporters of Georgia's transgender and non-binary community stroll through the city's Midtown district during Atlanta Pride's transgender rights march in Atlanta on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. (AP Photo/Robin Rayne)

A federal judge in Atlanta heard conflicting testimony Thursday about the safety and benefit of hormone therapy to treat adolescents struggling with their gender identity.

Judge Sarah Geraghty held a hearing to gather evidence before deciding whether to block a Georgia law that bans most gender-affirming surgeries and hormone replacement therapies for transgender people under 18. The hearing is scheduled to continue on Friday.

The law, which was passed this year by the Republican majority in the General Assembly, took effect in July. The parents of four transgender girls have filed a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality and have also asked Geraghty to block its enforcement while the litigation is pending.