Performing trans surgery on children, as well as prescribing a child with puberty blockers, is now a felony offence in the state of Oklahoma.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed into law measures forbidding the use of medical transgender interventions on children, with it now being a felony offence in the state to perform trans surgery on a child or prescribe them puberty blockers.
The move has prompted outrage from U.S. progressives, with a number of non-profit organisations vowing to take the state to court over the law change.
According to a report by Fox News, Stitt signed SB 613 into law on Monday, with the newly enacted bill rendering the provision of puberty blockers to children under the age of 18 a felony.
Conducting trans surgery on children or providing them with drugs that suppress or delay normal puberty is also made an offence by the bill.
Medical professionals who contravene the newly enacted legislation will reportedly be running the risk of having their medical licence revoked, and will also open themselves up to lawsuits from parents and legal guardians.
A Utah state Republican lawmaker’s home was allegedly vandalized after he introduced a bill aiming to ban transgender surgeries on minors. https://t.co/uiikNJJG3W
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) April 24, 2023
Speaking on the passing of the bill, Governor Stitt said he viewed the law as fulfilling an earlier commitment he made to stamp out medical transgenderism in the state.
“Last year, I called for a statewide ban on all irreversible gender transition surgeries and hormone therapies on minors so I am thrilled to sign this into law today and protect our kids,” the Republican state leader remarked.
“We cannot turn a blind eye to what’s happening across our nation, and as governor, I am proud to stand up for what’s right and ban life-altering transition surgeries on children in the state of Oklahoma,” he went on to say.
As reported, Governor Stitt said in February about the then-proceeding bill: “We must protect our most vulnerable — our children. After all, minors can’t vote, can’t purchase alcohol, can’t purchase cigarettes. … We shouldn’t allow a minor to get a permanent gender altering surgery in Oklahoma.”
Trans youth are valid.
Trans youth are cherished.
Trans youth belong. https://t.co/X7MmDTCqlD— ACLU of Oklahoma (@ACLUOK) May 2, 2023
The measures see Oklahoma join 15 other U.S. states which have either banned or restricted transgender surgery for children, with over 20 other states in the country currently considering the implementation of similar measures.
Vowing to challenge the bill in court, the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma denounced the measure as “anti-science“, describing medical child transgenderism as necessary to allow under-18s to “live authentically as themselves”. The bill has been protested, including by pro-trans demonstrators who occupied the Oklahoma Capitol Building earlier this year.
Organisers of the protest called the law “genocide”.
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