January 1st 2024.
Ohio's governor, Mike DeWine, recently vetoed a bill that would have banned gender-affirming care for transgender and nonbinary youth in his state. The bill would have prohibited hormone blockers, hormone replacement therapy, and medical or surgical procedures, and attached transgender athletes participating in female sports.
DeWine spoke out against the bill, citing that signing the legislature would be saying that the government knows what's best for youth better than their parents. He believes that this decision should be made by parents and informed by teams of doctors. In a press conference, DeWine shared stories of transitioned adults who are thriving, and spoke of parents of trans children who said treatment had saved lives.
The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group, praised DeWine's decision, calling it a "huge win for trans youth and their families in Ohio". HRC data states that about 30% of transgender youth between 13 and 17 live in states that have banned gender-affirming care.
The American Medical Association lists gender-affirming care as a necessity to improve the physical and mental health of transgender people. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, trans youth who have access to gender-affirming care are less likely to have episodes of anxiety, ideas of suicide, or suicide attempts due to discrimination and gender dysphoria.
DeWine is standing up for transgender kids in his state and wants to make sure that care-providing physicians are not subject to discipline by the applicable professional licensing board. He understands the weight of these decisions, and wants parents to make the decision with the advice of a team of doctors.
By vetoing the bill, DeWine is making sure that transgender and nonbinary youth receive the care that they need to improve their physical and mental health. His decision is a huge win for trans youth and their families in Ohio.
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