Utah Bans Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender Youth – Should Your State?

What's the story?

• Utah’s Governor Spencer Cox (R) has signed a bill that bans transgender youth from receiving gender-affirming health care.

What does the bill say?

• Senate Bill 16 prohibits surgery for all transgender youth and disallows hormone treatment for transgender minors who have not been professionally diagnosed with gender dysphoria.
• SB16 also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a review of the medical evidence of the efficacy of hormonal treatments for transgender patients.
• The bill was sponsored by Utah Sen. Mike Kennedy (R), a family doctor who argues that government oversight is necessary to protect youth.
• The bill was a priority for the Republican-dominated Legislature. They began considering a first draft of the measure two days after they opened this year’s session on Jan. 17.
• Cox signed the bill the day after the Legislature sent it to his desk.
• Cox said he believes it is important to postpone "these permanent and life-altering treatments for new patients until more and better research can help determine the long-term consequences.”

Criticisms

• The American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association support gender-affirming care and are critical of legal efforts to undermine access to it.
• The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) urged Cox not to pass the bill, saying they were concerned about 

"[The] grave violations of people's constitutional rights [that] it will cause."

What are other states doing?

• In March 2022, Arizona banned gender-affirming care for minors under 18.
• Lawmakers in 18 other states are considering similar bills to restrict care options for transgender youth. 
• An Arkansas law restricting gender-affirming care is awaiting a decision in the courts. 
• Other states considering restrictions include Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

Should more consider bans?

—Emma Kansiz

(Photo Credit: Twitter)