Dr. Susan Lacy had been caring for transgender patients for several years in Tennessee when, in 2023, everything changed. In the span of a few months, the Republican-governed state banned healthcare providers from treating minors for gender dysphoria.

For a brief moment on December 4, trans people will have the full force of the U.S. government behind them at the Supreme Court. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, considered one of the most dazzling oral advocates of her generation, will stand before the justices to argue for their rights.

Conservative groups have for years sought to reduce the government’s sway over parents’ childrearing choices, particularly when it comes to decisions about school and health care.