New Law Creates Sweeping Ban on Gender-Affirming Care

Photo byEhimetalor Akhere UnuabonaonUnsplash

A new measure signed into law this week will create a statewide ban on gender-affirming care for minors, blocking healthcare providers from prescribing hormones or puberty blockers to minors, as well as banning surgical procedures associated with gender transition.

The law marks the largest statewide ban on gender-affirming care in the United States and promises serious repercussions for any medical providers that violate the ban, going as far as to threaten to revoke their medical licenses.

Statewide Ban Goes Into Effect September 1st

The statewide ban on gender-affirming care will take effect on September 1st when it will then be illegal to perform any surgical procedures associated with gender transition on a patient who is a minor as well as ban the prescription of homes or puberty blockers to those patients.

The law does provide an exception for minors that are currently undergoing treatments that include hormones or puberty blockers and for those that attend at least 12 sessions or more of mental health counseling over a period of at least six months before they began their treatment.

However, those that fall under the exception are still expected to be taken off of the treatments "in a manner that is safe and medically appropriate.” 

New Law Joins 18 Other States with Bans

The newly approved law marks the 19th statewide ban on gender-affirming care for minors, according to the Movement Advancement Project. The bans have been promoted by Republicans across the country who say that minors are too young to be making such a decision that could have irreversible effects.

However, several medical associations and advocates for transgender youth say that denying the procedures and treatments can have significant harmful effects on the youth and that the procedures are warranted for those that are experiencing gender dysmorphia.

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