NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Ray Holloman transitioned seven years ago.
"This isn't something that's just a want or something that's a need," he said. "Like this is truly trying to let people live their best lives, allow them to be truly healthy."
For him, being truly healthy included receiving proper healthcare during his transition.
"Before I transitioned I was depressed, and so this healthcare, being able to work with my medical providers, being able to work with them and figure out 'ok I want to go on testosterone... what's the impact of that going to be on my life?'" Holloman said.
Now he worries about young people who begin their transition in the future.
In a recent decision, the Sixth Circuit Court reinstated Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors.
"My interpretation would be that any kind of surgical intervention is strictly prohibitive, and any new gender-affirming care through medication would strictly be prohibited," said NewsChannel 5 Legal Analyst Nick Leonardo.
But Leonardo said under a provision of the law, anyone currently receiving gender-affirming care through medications has until March 2024 to discontinue that care.
"What we're seeing all around America is general assemblies in each state are passing these laws," Leonardo said. "And all it is is a rush to United States Supreme Court, just like we saw with the abortion ban."
Leonardo admits enforcing the law could be tricky, but there are repercussions for those who break it.
"Doctors can be disciplined through their professional organizations for doing something like providing gender-affirming care," Leonardo said.
Holloman said this is just the beginning of a long road ahead.
"So it's just more and more fighting and trying to figure out how do we insure that our trans youth are able to get access to the healthcare they need," he said.
