When Justice Is on Trial: How One Supreme Court Case Threatens LGBTQ+ Healthcare

By We Belong News

Something alarming is happening across the Atlantic — and it could shape the future of LGBTQ+ healthcare far beyond U.S. borders.

In a case now sitting before the U.S. Supreme Court, conservative activist and Texas-based physician Steven Hotze is challenging a fundamental principle of healthcare access: the right to preventive treatment. Specifically, he’s targeting PrEP, a life-saving medication that drastically reduces the risk of HIV transmission — and by extension, the dignity, autonomy, and lives of LGBTQ+ people.

At the centre of the case is a claim that requiring employers to offer insurance coverage for PrEP violates religious freedom. Hotze argues that providing access to this medication “encourages homosexual behaviour,” and he wants the freedom to opt out. Not just from covering PrEP, but potentially from any service that contradicts his personal beliefs.

And a lower court in Texas agreed.

Now, the case has landed in the highest court in America. If the Supreme Court upholds this decision, the consequences could be seismic. It could give employers across the U.S. the power to deny coverage for not only HIV prevention, but a wide range of preventive services — including STI screenings, cancer checks, and mental health support — based purely on ideology.

Why This Matters to All of Us

This isn’t just an American issue. We’ve seen how fast political ideologies can cross borders. From book bans to anti-DEI rhetoric, shifts in U.S. discourse often find a foothold in the UK. And when laws are passed under the guise of “freedom,” they’re too often weaponised against the very people they claim to protect.

At its heart, this case is about control — over bodies, over narratives, over who gets to feel safe and seen. It’s about whether LGBTQ+ lives are deemed worthy of protection. And it’s a reminder that our rights are never guaranteed — they must be defended, time and again.

The Cost of Silence

PrEP has transformed the fight against HIV. It’s science-backed. It’s safe. And when taken as prescribed, it’s up to 99% effective in preventing HIV transmission. Denying access to this medication not only endangers lives — it sends a clear message: your life isn’t worth protecting.

That’s not just cruel. It’s deadly.

What Can You Do?

Whether you’re in the UK, the U.S., or anywhere else, this moment calls for awareness — and action. Talk about it. Share the story. Reach out to those who may not know what’s at stake. Support organisations like the Good Law Project, Terrence Higgins Trust, ACT UP, or local LGBTQ+ charities working to preserve access and equality.

And most of all, let’s remind the world: our healthcare is not up for debate. Our existence is not a political issue. Our rights are human rights.