Although this case does not involve the military, the decison (if it holds up) could have enormous implications across the country for transgender youth.

“Unserious leaders are unsafe,” Judge Kasubhai wrote in the opinion’s opening line. “There is nothing more serious than our leaders’ dedication to the rule of law so that we might maintain the integrity of our constitutional democracy. This case highlights a leader’s unserious regard for the rule of law. This case demonstrates how disregard for the rule of law does not merely result in an abstract infraction. Rather, and tragically, this case is one of a long list of examples of how a leader’s wanton disregard for the rule of law causes very real harm to very real people.”