Oklahoma Bans Gender-Affirming Healthcare

Oklahoma has become the 16th state to ban gender-affirming healthcare for transgender minors. Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed legislation into law making it a felony to provide treatments including puberty-blockers to trans kids. https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/1653217842521620480 From the Associated Press:

Stitt, who was reelected in November, made the ban a priority of this year’s legislative session, saying he wanted to protect children. Transgender advocates and parents of transgender children say such care is essential.

The bill Stitt signed on Monday makes it illegal to provide gender-transition medical care for anyone under the age of 18. Such treatment can include surgery as well as hormones and drugs that suppress or delay normal puberty.

At least 16 states have now enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care for minors: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, South Dakota and West Virginia.

Those laws in Alabama and Arkansas are currently blocked from being enforced by federal judges. Every single major medical organization, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association, supports the provision of age-appropriate, gender-affirming care for transgender and non-binary people. https://twitter.com/OurRevolution/status/1653423763126378496