Utah Passes Bill Restricting Some Transgender Procedures For Minors

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.