MONTGOMERY, AL – Alabama officials are celebrating a significant legal victory after the plaintiffs in Boe v. Marshall voluntarily dismissed their federal lawsuit challenging the state’s Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act (VCAP). The 2022 law prohibits medical providers from administering puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, or gender transition surgeries to individuals under 19 years of age.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall and Secretary of State Wes Allen—who originally sponsored the VCAP legislation while serving in the Alabama House of Representatives—both issued statements hailing the dismissal as a landmark moment in the state’s legal and political landscape.
“This is a generational win,” Attorney General Marshall said. “We fought back. We uncovered the truth. We exposed the scandal. We won.” He noted that the case has had national implications, with his office filing legal briefs in support of similar laws in other states, including a case now pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.
The lawsuit, brought by a coalition of civil rights organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), initially succeeded in securing a preliminary injunction that blocked enforcement of the law. However, in 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit reversed that injunction, allowing the state to begin enforcement of the law while the case continued.
During the litigation, Alabama officials engaged in extensive court-ordered discovery, reviewing documents and evidence regarding what plaintiffs described as accepted medical standards for treating gender dysphoria in minors. According to Attorney General Marshall, the investigation revealed inconsistencies between those standards and the underlying scientific data, as well as influence from political advocacy groups.
Secretary Allen emphasized the testimony of adults who regretted transitioning as minors. “Mental health therapy, not hormone replacement therapy, is what is needed for children suffering from dysphoria,” he said. “Alabama’s children are safer today because of this legislation.”
Supporters of VCAP argue that the law protects minors from making irreversible decisions at a young age. They contend that children and adolescents may be unduly influenced by social trends or adult pressure when considering gender transition.
Opponents, including major medical associations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Endocrine Society, argue that gender-affirming care can be critical for the mental health and well-being of transgender youth. They warn that restricting access to such treatments could lead to increased rates of anxiety, depression, and other adverse outcomes.
With the plaintiffs formally ending their legal challenge, the case is now considered resolved in favor of the state, clearing the way for full enforcement of the law.
While Alabama officials celebrate the outcome, legal analysts caution that the national debate is far from over. Similar laws in other states remain under legal scrutiny, and future rulings—including one expected from the U.S. Supreme Court—could influence how gender-related medical care for minors is regulated across the country.
