House Republicans voted Monday to ban medicinal and surgical gender-affirming care for transgender youth. The bill now goes to Gov. Eric Holcomb’s desk.
Senate Bill 480 would ban medicinal gender-affirming care – like hormone therapy and puberty blockers – and gender-affirming surgeries, which aren’t performed on minors in Indiana.
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Joanna King (R-Middlebury) said the state “has a compelling interest” in protecting minors from what she calls “unproven” and “harmful” procedures.
The vast majority of medical organizations support gender-affirming care, and there is national and international guidance on age-appropriate interventions for transgender youth.
Gender-affirming care is health care that encompasses mental, social, medical and surgical care designed to treat gender dysphoria.
Rep. Blake Johnson (D-Indianapolis) called the General Assembly’s view of identity “myopic.”
“We tell them if they’re true to themselves, they don’t belong in Indiana,” Johnson said.
READ MORE: What is gender-affirming care?
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During testimony on the measure, Rep. Sue Errington (D-Muncie) told lawmakers about a family that attends her church in Muncie with a transgender daughter.
“They told me, if this bill passes, they don’t see how they can remain in Indiana because of the harm it will inflict on their daughter,” Errington said.
If the measure takes effect, it will force transgender youth who are already receiving this care to de-transition by the end of the year. Several transgender teens, young adults and their parents testified before lawmakers about their care and echoed the same concern – if the bill is signed into law, they’ll have to leave Indiana.
Two Republicans joined Democrats in voting against the bill. Governor Holcomb has previously vetoed anti-trans legislation. He told reporters last week that parents had not only “a right” to their children’s health and well-being, but “in fact have the responsibility of it.”
The General Assembly has overturned seven of Holcomb's vetoes since he took office in 2017.
Lauren is our digital editor. Contact her at lchapman@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @laurenechapman_.
