South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem on Monday signed a bill into law that will ban both surgical and non-surgical gender-affirming treatments for transgender minors in the state.
HB 1080 outlaws the prescription and administration of puberty-blocking medication in patients under the age of 18, as well as sex hormones and surgery related to gender transition. Health care providers who violate the new law, which takes effect on July 1, risk civil suits and losing their professional or occupational licenses.
“South Dakota’s kids are our future. With this legislation, we are protecting kids from harmful, permanent medical procedures,” Noem said in a news release Monday. “I will always stand up for the next generation of South Dakotans.”
Noem’s signature comes on the heels of the state’s push last year to ban transgender girls and women from playing on school sports teams that correspond with their gender identity and makes South Dakota just the latest Republican-led state to restrict trans minors’ access to gender-affirming treatments.
The state Senate voted 30-4 on Thursday to send the bill to the governor, after the state House had advanced it in a 60-10 vote earlier this month.
Gender-affirming care is medically necessary, evidence-based care that uses a multidisciplinary approach to help a person transition from their assigned gender – the one the person was designated at birth – to their affirmed gender – the gender by which one wants to be known.
The bill’s Senate sponsor, Al Novstrup, argued Thursday that the legislation is a way to provide “meaningful help.”
Nazi Moron: “With this legislation, we are protecting kids”
Someone with a Brain: How?
Nazi Moron: Wait what?
Someone with a Brain: HOW is this protecting kids?
What is it protecting them from?
Do you have literally any facts, data or evidence beyond cheap pearl clutching bigoted moral majority bullshit designed to appeal to people too stupid or lazy to think of anything deeper than a Buzzfeed Headline?
Nazi Moron: Look we said this is about Protecting Kids so that automatically makes whatever we are doing Morally Correct okay that is how it works now stop trying to confuse the issue with your satanic tricks like Facts and Logic and Thinking!