Kansas Governor Laura Kelly vetoed a bill that would ban gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth. Kelly argued that the legislation unfairly targets a small group and imposes government mandates on how parents should raise their children. She expressed concerns that such laws could deter businesses from operating in states that discriminate against workers and their families, and could expose the state to costly lawsuits.
The bill, which a two-thirds vote in the legislature could still override, restricts the use of puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries for trans minors, but allows exceptions for minors who are intersex, have ambiguous sex characteristics, or have disorders of sex development. It also restricts state employees or state facilities from supporting a minor’s social transitioning.
While supporters of the ban argue that gender-affirming care is harmful for minors, critics, including the ACLU of Kansas, call the bill extreme and misinformed. They argue that it deprives parents and families of medical freedom and punishes professionals for supporting transgender kids. Research indicates that transgender youth, often due to gender-related discrimination and gender dysphoria, are more likely to experience mental health issues, but hormone therapy can improve their mental health.
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