South Dakota lawmakers push bill to bar transgender youth care

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Republican state Rep. Bethany Soye’s bill that would restrict some medical treatments to transgender individuals under the age of 18 passed through a House committee on health and human services Tuesday morning.

Soye says she brought this bill as a matter of consent. Testimony in support for the bill argued transgender surgeries were regrettable decisions made as teens or early adults, harmful medical experiments or unethical cures to gender dysphoria.

Opponents criticized the bill on the grounds of civil rights infringements and overreach into personal healthcare decisions.

At least 18 other states have similar legislation.

 

February 1, 2023