Louisiana lawmakers have passed a bill prohibiting sex reassignment procedures for minors identifying as transgender. Championed by Republican representative Gabe Firment, the bill forbids hormone treatments, puberty blockers, and surgeries for children.
The legislation, despite facing opposition from Democrat Governor John Bel Edwards, received bipartisan support and passed with a veto-proof majority. The bill’s proponents argue that it aims to shield children from risky, untested treatments, while opponents deem it as a denial of crucial care, endangering transgender youth’s well-being.
Should it become law, Louisiana will align with 17 other states that have implemented similar restrictions on transitional procedures and drugs for minors. This step is seen as part of a wider conservative effort to regulate an industry perceived as possessing considerable influence yet minimal oversight.
Further legislation passed by Louisiana policymakers restricts educators from discussing non-academic subjects like sexual orientation and gender identity. These laws also require that students’ sex, as recorded at birth, be used for all official records, prompting critics to refer to them as “Don’t Say Gay” laws.
This legislation will significantly impact Louisiana’s estimated 4,000 transgender teenagers who, if the bill passes, would have to seek hormonal treatments and surgeries outside the state.
