Utah Passes Bill Restricting Some Transgender Procedures For Minors
AllSides Summary
The Utah State Legislature passed a bill restricting transgender surgeries and hormonal treatments for minors.
Bill Details: The bill prohibits healthcare providers from “performing sex characteristic surgical procedures on a minor for the purpose of effectuating a sex change” and limits the administration of hormonal treatment to minors “only if the health care provider has been treating the minor for gender dysphoria for at least six months.” The bill also calls for a “systematic review of the medical evidence regarding hormonal transgender treatments.”
Support: Utah Governor Spencer Cox (R) stated, “we sincerely hope that we can treat our transgender families with more love and respect as we work to better understand the science and consequences behind these procedures.”
Opposition: Utah ACLU spokesperson Aaron Welcher stated, “legislators and the governor claim to have concern for Utah’s youth, but ignore the medical professionals who care for them, the parents who love them and the young people themselves.”
How The Media Covered It: Outlets across the spectrum labeled the bill a “ban on gender-affirming care" for minors in the state. While the bill places strict restrictions on administering surgeries and other treatments to minors, it is not a full ban across the board. Hormonal treatment remains allowed for minors that fit certain criteria outlined in lines 173-238 of the bill. Axios did not note this part of the bill. BuzzFeed News (Left Bias) noted the requirements, but the article’s headline said the ban was for “anyone under 18.” Fox News noted the requirements.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Utah bans gender-affirming care for trans minors

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed a controversial bill Saturday that would ban gender-affirming health care and hormone therapy for transgender children and teenagers.
The big picture: The move follows similar legislation enacted in other GOP-led states amid a larger wave of anti-trans bills, many of which target youth.
Details: SB 16, introduced by state Sen. Michael Kennedy (R-Alpine), a family physician, would prohibit sex reassignment surgeries and puberty blockers for minors.
The bill is more restrictive than the one Kennedy first introduced on the Senate floor last week. The...
From the Right
Utah governor signs gender-affirming health care ban, school choice bills into law

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on Saturday signed a bill banning gender-affirming surgery on minors who have not been diagnosed with gender dysphoria.
The state's Republican-dominated Legislature prioritized the ban and considered a first draft of the measure less than 10 days ago, two days after the Legislature opened this year's session Jan. 17. Gov. Cox signed it a day after the Legislature sent it to his desk.
The governor said it was important to pause "these permanent and life-altering treatments for new patients until more and better research can help...
From the Left
Utah bans gender-affirming care for trans youth

On Saturday, Governor Spencer Cox of Utah (R) signed a bill banning gender-affirming care for minors in the state. Utah joins Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona and Tennessee in outlawing gender-affirming health care for trans youth.
The new law bans gender transition surgery and prohibits the use of hormone therapy, except in limited cases.
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