Judge denies temporary block on North Dakota's ban on gender transition treatment for minors

A North Dakota judge has denied a temporary restraining order to block the state's ban on gender transition treatment for minors. The plaintiffs, three families and a pediatrician, are suing to challenge the law, arguing that it violates the constitutional rights of transgender youth. The judge cited the plaintiffs' delay in filing their complaint and the argument based on a protected class not previously recognized by the state's Supreme Court. A hearing for a preliminary injunction is scheduled for January. Similar bans in other states have faced legal challenges, with some being temporarily halted and others allowed to move forward.