Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed a bill Saturday that bans hormone relief remedy and gender-affirming surgery for ambisexual youth, making Utah the first state in 2023 to ban similar care. Senate Bill 16 provides new restrictions on trans youth seeking medical care in Utah, specifically banning “hormonal transgender treatment to new cases who weren’t diagnosed with gender dysphoria” before the bill went into effect, and “coitus characteristic surgical procedures on a minor for the purpose of effectuating a coitus change”. SB16 also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct” a methodical review of the medical substantiation regarding hormonal transgender treatments,” and latterly, to “give recommendations to the Legislature”.
The law prohibits ambisexual youth in the state from entering gender-affirming surgery and places an indefinite ban on hormone remedy, with limited exceptions. Cox, a Republican, said in a statement that banning these treatments was necessary until further exploration could be done on their long- term goods. “While we understand our words will be of little comfort to those who differ with us, we unfeignedly hope that we can treat our ambisexual families with further love and respect as we work to more understand the wisdom and consequences behind these procedures,” the governor said. Cox was confined at the time for understanding the mischievous consequences a ban would have on the internal health of trans children, indeed though the state council eventually champed his proscription.
“I’m unfit to comprehend their plight or the reasons behind their feelings. Still, I want them to survive. And all the substantiation points to the fact that indeed a little acceptance and connection can vastly lower suicidality,” Last time, Cox stated. Lawyers still claim they’re committed to defending the rights of trans youth and are preparing to file an action against the new law. “We’ll cover the right of trans children to grow up free from ongoing political attacks on their lives and access to healthcare,” the ACLU of Utah said in a statement.
