North Carolina Bans Transgender Care For Minors As Republicans Override Veto

This blog originally appeared at The New York Times.

Around 20 other states have enacted legislation barring minors from accessing gender-transition care, with this recent move by the state being the latest addition.

North Carolina recently joined about 20 other states in prohibiting minors from accessing gender-transition care. Republican lawmakers overrode the governor’s veto on a bill restricting hormone treatments, puberty blockers, and surgeries for young individuals. This move coincided with other efforts by the Republican-dominated State Legislature to resurrect legislation limiting transgender students’ involvement in school sports and regulating gender and sexual orientation education in schools.

Across the United States, conservative lawmakers have acted on LGBTQ issues, resulting in similar laws in about 20 states, all preventing access to transition-related care for minors. Supporters argue that these measures safeguard children from medical treatments deemed risky and unproven. Representative Hugh Blackwell, a Republican, emphasized North Carolina’s historical commitment to protecting minors’ interests.

He expressed, “This legislation aligns with that ethos, acknowledging the significant and potentially irreversible impact of the procedures this bill pertains to. It merely emphasizes the need to wait until they reach 18 to make such a decision.”

Critics argue that withholding access to such care could be perilous and harmful to transgender youth, who often face high rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide attempts. Research indicates that their mental well-being might improve with gender-affirming care.

Senator Lisa Grafstein, a Democrat, voiced during the Wednesday debate, “You can claim it’s not anti-LGBTQ, but it is. What we’re doing here will inflict harm.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently reaffirmed its endorsement of gender-affirming treatments for children and initiated a comprehensive review of medical research on these treatments.

Governor Cooper, a Democrat, criticized Republicans for engaging in what he termed “political culture wars,” focusing on targeting a small and marginalized group of young people rather than addressing more pressing issues facing the state.

“After vetoing the ban on transition-related care in July, Mr. Cooper stressed the importance of allowing parents and medical professionals to determine the best approach for gender care in children,” stated a recent statement by the Governor.

Highlighting the state’s past, Mr. Cooper referenced the controversial 2016 bill, which was the first to prohibit transgender individuals from using public restrooms aligning with their gender identity. This legislation triggered widespread criticism, prompting corporations to scrap expansion plans in the state and causing the relocation of national sporting events.

The Republican party in North Carolina strengthened its narrow supermajority in the State House of Representatives this year following Tricia Cotham’s party switch. Cotham, initially elected as a Democrat from a district outside Charlotte, changed parties three months into her tenure in January.

The party switch sparked anger among Democrats and was viewed by constituents in her district as a betrayal. However, this move bolstered Republicans, who hold a supermajority in the Senate as well, allowing them to override Mr. Cooper’s vetoes. This included the successful implementation of a 12-week limit on most abortions, marking the state’s most stringent abortion policy in decades.

The legislation, House Bill 808, concerning gender-transition care was approved by the State Legislature in June. This bill prohibits medical practitioners in the state from prescribing hormone therapy, puberty blockers, or gender-transition surgeries to individuals under 18 years old. However, minors who began any of these treatments before Aug. 1 will be permitted to continue if their doctors deem it beneficial and with parental consent, as outlined in the legislation.

The conservative-backed N.C. Values Coalition commended lawmakers for their resolute move in overturning the veto, hailing it as a courageous decision.

However, there were heartfelt appeals from certain legislators who urged their peers to reconsider adopting what they perceived as unnecessary legislation.

“In your deliberation on this vote today, I implore you to reconsider,” urged State Representative John Autry, a Democrat, who has a transgender granddaughter. “You have the power to halt it at this moment, right here and right now.”

North Carolina Bans Transgender Care for Minors as Republicans Override Veto https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/16/us/north-carolina-anti-trans-laws-override.html?smid=nytcore-android-share